


Tripartite

by Insomniackid7



Category: RWBY
Genre: Abandonment Issues, Abuse, Child Abandonment, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Mythology - Freeform, Romance, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-28
Updated: 2016-06-11
Packaged: 2018-04-23 18:21:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 43,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4886980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Insomniackid7/pseuds/Insomniackid7
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Getting your soulmate mark is one of the happiest days one can have. And three girls are about to get theirs, but things go horribly off course when they find they have two marks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Best Day Ever

**Author's Note:**

> I got stuck on my other story so I decided to take a step back from it and work on something else. Which led to this mess. I just want my babies to be happy
> 
> Also: Adam isn't a total asshole! Still a bit broody and angry, but he’s more of a “good end” Adam.

Today was the day.

To any other person, it’d be a normal sunny day; but to three girls, this day would be one of the greatest they will ever have.

It was a rite of passage in today’s world, the day everyone dreams and fidgeted about how and when it would happen.

The Marking.

The person knows when it will happen because they will feel a sort of “brightness” in their chest. Colors were more vivid and the person would feel jubilant. It meant they would meet them.

Their Soulmate.

* * *

The morning light against the blue thin curtains and worked its way to the heiress. It highlighted her face and the white covers, making the light reflect even brighter. Feeling the warm rays on her eyelids nudging her awake, ice blue eyes opened to grace the world.

Weiss sighed in defeat and sat up, stretching her arms above her head and groaned like the dead as each stiff joint popped. She looked down at her bedspread and saw that she was bathed in light and it seemed to make her hair glitter brighter than fireworks.

The effect transfixed the heiress. Carefully she threaded her fingers through the shining ivory tresses and brought them in front of her. She never realized how pretty her hair was. Of course she took care of it, brushing it in the morning and night, high end shampoos and conditioners took their place in her ensuite bathroom, along with anti-dandruff products. It was easily styled and co-operated to mold itself into up-dos or braids.

_It’s stunning._ She thought.

The heiress to Schnee Dust Company slipped out of bed and went to the windows, drawing the curtains open and gazed upon the vast garden stationed across her second story window. The small breeze felt wonderful when she opened up the window.

As she stared at the roses, something occurred to her, _I never cared this much before, the view is beautiful but I see it everyday._ It only took her a second to notice the thrumming warmth settled in her heart.

Her usual dignified behavior was all but forgotten when she rushed out, squealing in excitement and delight, running and skipping into the halls, still in her nightgown.

Weiss’ older sister, Winter turned the corner to see what all the hubbub was about only to be tackled by the gleeful girl. “What in the world is wrong with you, little sister?“ She grunted while they spun around due to Weiss’ momentum.

“Winter! Today’s the day!” The taller Schnee looked into Weiss’ eyes before a wide smile came across her face and she bent down to lift the heiress into the air. The sisters uncharacteristically laughed. Not much could break the cold demeanor of a Schnee, but of the rare exceptions, the topic of soulmates was one of them.

The workers who had gathered out of curiosity only had to glance at the smiling sisters to know what was happening. Winter placed the teen down and turned her around by the shoulders, “Go get dressed, we have to inform Mother and Father immediately! “ She encouraged.

Weiss had never gotten dressed so quickly in her life. She fixed her hair and put on her jewelry. She slowed her speed to look at the apple necklace made of pure silver she had begged her father to buy as soon as she saw it.

She couldn’t help the small smile she as she touched it. It was a symbol of the dreams.

She went to the bedside table and pulled open the drawer to reveal a well-worn leather backed journal. There were golden metal corners and gold gilding on the pages, a purple border weaved vertically on the sides. Written in the same purple color was the words ‘dream journal’.  Weiss had it commissioned when she was small and the dreams began.

Soulmates were connected on many levels, and as a result, things commonly called ‘Lovers dreams’ or simply ‘dreams’ would happen, vague little things that often overlapped and connected, blurred and hazy. They were of one soulmate and the other meeting, leaving clues and impressions as to who the future lover was. It was mainly the same situation every time, with little tangential dreams happening once in a while. It was common practice for people to describe the dreams to their soulmate once they found them as a basis for figuring out certain traits of the other. What kind of music they like, what talents, aspirations and family.

Always fastidious, Weiss spent years writing down each new prophetic dream or new detail in her journal. Sometimes she swore she could almost see her lover’s face. But the thing she remembered most was the apple tree in the hills.

For nostalgia’s sake she opened up the journal and begun to read.

* * *

It was dark, there was pain. There was nothing. Suddenly, rain fell down on her and she thought she would drown, she struggled against the murky depths, barely keeping her head above water as she screamed at the clouds to stop the deluge.

The merciless waters only replied in a large wave engulfing her once more. She helplessly sunk to the bottom of the dark sea, her arm outstretched for something, for hope, maybe.

_‘Help’_

As if the world around her heard her plea, the water suddenly broke into light and color, fish swam past her and coral reefs stood tall and vivid. Rays of the sun broke through the surface of the water and for some reason, she felt as if she could breathe.

A light shadow caught her attention behind and above her. On the shore the shadow moved back and forth as if looking for something.

_‘Are you…looking for me?’_

Once more she lifted her hand, only for another to grab her and lift her out of the water. She spat and sputtered, shaking her head to get the water out of her ears, but it didn’t seem to do any good, she knew this person was talking to her. Or at least she thought so, they were so blurry.

_‘Gold…purple…’_

That was all she could make out before the person lifted her up by the hand once more, excitedly tugging her someplace.

_‘You want me…to follow?’_

She didn’t know how long they ran, but the scene turned to greenery and flowers were under her heel. She looked up and saw the apple tree on the hill, easily 20 feet tall with large roots that she and the blur balanced on. The blur said something and she laughed, louder and more joyously than she thought possible for someone like her. Two apples floated down and landed in her hand, red, ripe and juicy, but before she could take a bite something changed.

The skies changed again, but this time, snow fell from the heavens. The blur pointed to the north and a dark, white forest shot up from the earth. They stared at it for a moment, feeling the icy chill that originated from there.

The blur took her hand and then the ivory and ice bark was right in front of her. The golden and purple blur led her in to the dark opening of the forest.

_‘Wait…we shouldn’t be here…we—’_

The pressure around her wrist was gone and she was afraid.

And so very, very lonely.

_‘Hello? Come back! Please! I need you! Please don’t leave me alone…’_

She heard her own words echo back at her, but it wasn’t in her voice. She turned and moved through the brush until an opening appeared, the ground was frozen over and the branches looked sharp enough to impale her.

_‘Mirror, tell me something…tell me who’s the loneliest of all…’_

The voice was so sad, yet so beautiful…she walked towards the person in the middle of the clearing. They sat huddled and with their legs to their chest.

_‘I’m the loneliest of all…’_

_‘Not anymore’_ she found herself saying.

The person looked up at her.

_‘White…and Blue…’_

The person screamed, knocking her down with the might of the wind. She looked down at the ice and almost screamed herself. She wasn’t in humanoid form anymore, but a large Jaguar, burning amber eyes reflected back at her.

When she looked up, her body felt weird, and she could tell she now was what she resembled.

The person backed up, afraid. She felt as if nothing she could say would fix this. She couldn’t change who she was. She slid on her four paws trying to move away when the bright red apple caught her attention. She still had it when the blur brought her here.

In a last ditch effort, she shimmied over to it and nudged it across the ice to the icy figure. It looked down at the red apple as it changed to silver before picking it up carefully. It never looked away from the jaguar as it bit into the apple with a satisfying crunch.

Suddenly the world shifted once more. Sun melted the ice and shadows away until a large, healthy forest remained. The once icy figure laughed, and she looked down at herself, laughing along with it when she saw hands once more. She went over and hugged the figure. It looked up at her and said…

_‘WHAT’S NEW PUSSY CAT? WOAH-OH-OH-OH!!!’_

Gold eyes snapped open and instantly glared at the blaring cell phone right next to her faunus ear.

“GET UP PUSSYCAT!! BLAKEY-BLAKE-BLAKE-BLAKE!”

“ADAM!” The bull faunus in question jumped down from the bed and ducked before being nearly beheaded by a hostile pillow. Blake threw another one and struck him in the gut.

“Oh-oof. Nice one.” He said through chuckles.

“What the hell are you doing?” Blake demanded getting up and staring straight up into her foster brother’s face. Despite the fact that Blake was tall, Adam had a good foot and a few inches thanks to his heritage, but those amber eyes burned and even in her pajamas Adam was intimidated. Though the strange grin on her face gave him pause.

“Tukson was trying to call you, but |someone| was too busy humming in her sleep to hear him. Come on, Blake it’s chow time. Breakfast waits for no one.”

Blake laughed and smacked him on the shoulder before going to the Jack and Jill bathroom connecting the two siblings’ room. Blake undid the four locks, not trusting Adam to not burst through the door at times, or when he occasionally got turned around after going at night.

He followed behind Blake and they got to their own sink on the double vanity. They started their morning routines, brushing their hair, Adam gelling his back and adding polish onto his horns.

“Hey can I borrow your nail sander thingy? Need to dull my horns.”

“Yeah, sure.” Blake said distractedly and handed it over while she checked her feline ears. The phantom sensation of water in them remained. It was the only part of the dreams she hated. _Well, that and not knowing who they are._

She was going to start to wash her face when she looked in the mirror and saw Adam, unmoved since she gave him her nail file, hand still in the air and on his horn, and he was just staring at her. “What?” She growled.

“Who are you and what have you done with Blake?”

The cat faunus turned to the taller boy with an offended expression. But something stopped her. This wasn’t a joke, she could see in his brown eyes, unharmed despite the burn wound across the top of his face, staring at her in legitimate concern. “Nothing?” She ventured, becoming uncomfortable.

“You never let me borrow you file after I put a hole in that one from years ago.” He bent down and took hold of her face, turning it back and forth before apparently seeing something in her eyes, “Hey Blake, how do you feel today?” he asked.

“Fine, why?”

“Just ‘fine’?”

Blake stopped and thought about it, “Well, great actually. I mean, it’s a nice day despite your rude wake up call.” His smile got wider until it turned into a full on grin.

“Blake, you’re an idiot.”

She scrunched her nose in offense before catching herself in the mirror. She was still smiling, she was still happy. Happier even than when Tukson adopted her and Adam.

She finally felt the warmth gathered in the tips of her ears and she knew. “Today…today is…?”

“I think it is.”

As soon as she said that, she instinctively knew, “Today’s the day!” She laughed and hollered while Adam picked her up and swung her around.

“What’s all that ruckus up there?” Tukson’s deep voice came from down in the kitchen. The two siblings looked at each other before scrambling out of the bathroom, they stomped down the stairs taking them two by two. A quick turn past the dining room and they skidded to a halt, Tukson looked over his newspaper at his children and how hard they were breathing.

“Tukson! Today’s the day! The day I get my mark!” The puma faunus blinked before breaking out into a smile himself.

“Really?” Blake and Adam nodded excitedly.

Tukson stood up quickly and enveloped the two teens in a large hug, lifting even Adam off his feet. “Tukson!” They yelled, not expecting the strength.

“You’ll throw your back out!” Blake scolded, which wasn’t very effective due to her laughing.

“Again!” Adam added, not exactly liking his feet off the ground.

“Okay, okay!” Tukson acquiesced and put them down. “But it’s not every day when your daughter gets marked. Now come on, get finished getting ready.” He shooed the children out and sighed. He was proud and scared. “They grow up so fast.” He mused, looking at the picture on the dining room wall of a 6 year old Blake and 7 year old Adam celebrating New Year’s day.

* * *

Yang laughed to herself as she sneaked down the hall to her sister’s new room in the newly bought house. She peeked around the corner, seeing her target dead asleep. Unguarded, vulnerable, and ticklish.

She flexed her fingers and crouched giving a silent count of three before launching into the air and pouncing on her target. “Eeeeeeekkk! Yang! Stooooopppp! Daddddddd!” Ruby giggled uncontrollably as her older sister tickled her awake.

Taiyang popped in, his blonde hair looked ruffled and unkempt despite having woken up an hour ago. “Yanggg” He warned.

“Aw come on Dad!” The younger blonde said while keeping her sister’s vengeful hands at bay.

“Hey what goes around comes around.” He smirked, and the two sisters looked at each other before scrambling to move, both were hindered by how tangled they were and couldn’t get away when the muscular man launched all 6’ 7” of him at his daughters and began tickling them both.

They squealed and retaliated to the best of their ability but no matter how hard they tried, Taiyang was just not as ticklish. The family fell off Ruby’s bed and crashed to the floor, still laughing.

As it died down Ruby noticed something off. “Hey Yang, your eyes are like glowing.”

“You mean like _glowing_ glowing?” She asked while self consciously rubbing her eyelids with the back of her hands.

“No I mean like, every part of you is glowing!” Yang didn’t really see it at first but after looking at her hands and seeing how the calluses from fixing her bike and the ones on her knuckles from fighting seemed to be softer, and at some points, it looked like they weren’t even there. The bubbling feeling in her stomach confirmed suspicions.

“Today’s the day!” She shouted and stood up whooping to the sky and jumping in excitement. The other two family members stood up to wrap her in a double bear hug.

“Good thing I made a huge breakfast!”

“BREAKFAST!!” The sisters yelled and followed their father through the house down to the table and sliding into their seats with precision. As always, the table was set with a stack of pancakes, hashbrowns, bacon, eggs, sausages, biscuits and gravy, and Yang’s favorite dish of apple fritters,.

The usual breakfast for the Xiao Long-Rose family.

As they scooped servings of everything onto their plates Ruby was shooting off question after question. “What do you think they’re like? Do you think they might actually be taller than you? Have any idea what hobbies they have? How do you think you’ll meet? What do you think your mark will look like? I think it’ll have _dragons_ or ooh, ooh, how about a _burning fist?_ ”

Yang snorted around her bacon, “Slow down there, little sister. In order, I bet they’re smart, and maybe don’t like swimming? Maybe they’re more of a chilly mountain person than Bahamas person? Not sure on hobbies. Acting? I just hope we meet in a normal setting. Unlike you and Cinder, with you literally running into her. No matter how my ring looks I’m fairly sure that my soulmate’s will be even cooler.”

Ruby laughed uncomfortably and stuffed her face with a biscuit. She looked at her right hand with Cinder’s mark on her wrist and the sample of her own on her middle finger. Like her name, Ruby’s was red and with hints of white and black. The white and black showed up as thin lines swirling around each other with two thicker red lines trapping them. On the top and on the underside of her finger her mark was an intricate rose with a white braid coming out of each side behind it. The ring was a confirmation mark, made after the soulmates find and accept one another. Some called it the hitcher mark since it was like a marital ring, making you “hitched” to your soulmate.

Taiyang shook his head, his tousled sandy blonde bangs hid the mischievous expression, “Now girls, there will be plenty of time for competition after Yang gets her mark. And Hothead, I’m sure whoever your soulmate will be and how your mark will look will be beautiful and cool. Remember Little Rose, you were the one parading your mark around the house and shoving it and Yang’s face so I’m officially giving her permission to do that too.”

“What?”

“Hell Yeah!”

The doorbell went off and Ruby perked up before a look of dread came over her. She looked down and confirmed that she was still in her pajamas instead of ready for her date with Cinder to the lake. She pleadingly looked to the two blondes, “I just need three minutes.”

“Fine.” Yang sighed and got up while Ruby bolted to her room. She reached out to the doorbell and took a steadying breath, her and Cinder didn’t exactly like each other, maybe it will change in time; but for right now, the fact is if it weren’t for Ruby they wouldn’t be straining to be civil and Yang would have knocked Cinder on her ass a long time ago.

Yang opened the door and the small smile Cinder had soured. “Oh. It’s you.”

“I could say the same.” The two women sized each other up.

“Where’s Ruby? She better not have overslept.”

“She’ll be down in a minute.” She opened the door and stepped aside, “You’re lucky I’m in a good mood or I would just leave you out in the cold.” Cinder raised a perfect eyebrow before coming in.

“Hello there Cinder!” Taiyang smiled, he and Cinder got along far better than with Yang.

“Hello Mr. Xiao Long.” She said politely. Her eyes caught the ridiculous amounts of food and plates on the table. Cinder could never understand how this family managed to eat this much. Taiyang was pretty big, and Yang was not too far behind so that made sense, but she couldn’t figure out how petite, precious Ruby could eat just as much. She suspected that being in track helped, but it didn’t account for it all.

Her first date with Ruby in a restaurant was…memorable. She was glad she decided to bring along an extra 50 Lien for cab fare. It was a lovely walk back with her, though.

“Yeah we had a big breakfast in celebration. Have some if you like.”

Cinder carefully didn’t comment on how “big” their normal meals were and said, “A celebration? What for?” Cinder scanned the small leftovers on each plate and chose a biscuit.  

“Yang’s getting her mark!” Taiyang puffed his chest out in pride.

Cinder turned and after a moment flashed a quick, short smile, “Congratulations.” She said with hint of sincerity.

Yang was a tad surprised but figured that if Ruby of all people was fated to this bitch, then there had to be something good under all that pretentiousness. “Thanks, Cinder.”

Loud thumping on the stairs heralded Ruby’s arrival. Cinder got up and moved towards the door, half expecting the flying tackle, “Cinder!” Ruby hugged hard enough that the older woman cursed herself for forgetting the ridiculous strength all members of this family had.

“Hug her harder Ruby!” Cinder’s glare could melt steel.

Ruby mercifully let Cinder have freedom to breathe again as she grabbed her keys and wallet. “Bye Dad! Bye Yang! I’ll be back in time for twilight!”

“Bye.” Cinder said before being dragged out by her soulmate.

* * *

Weiss eagerly waited for twilight, the time the marks will appear. But she had to go through about eleven hugs from her family and nursemaids. She sat down for lunch on the veranda, her Mother and Father taking time off of work for once to enjoy this day.

“Oh Weiss, dear, you’ll be so, so happy when you meet them.” Tundra Schnee held her daughter’s hand and had tears threatening to fall. Her blue eyes shimmered, only a shade darker than Weiss’. Her hair was long, reaching to the small of her back and styled with two braids starting from her temples meeting and turning into one against the rest of her straight hair hanging freely. Her nails were manicured to perfection and French tipped and her dress was blue, designed simple but elegant. Tundra’s smile lit up a room and shone brighter than the sun.

Eisen Schnee looked wistfully into his wine glass as he idly rocked it back and forth, the goblet in between his ring and middle fingers not spilling a drop. His hair was short and reminiscent of an army cut, Eisen’s cream suit was crisp and ironed, straight lines sharper than glass. The chain to his watch hung out of his inside breast pocket, made of real gold. The smile he wore looked out of place with his deep frown lines framing it, “I know I was.” He chimed in, and Tundra giggled.

“Can you tell me how you met again, Father?” It was a story Weiss had heard many times already but it was much more relevant and grand now in the heiress’ eyes.

Eisen touched his baby blue mark with white doves and musical notes on it. His gruff voice took on a lighter tone, “I was a young man, 22 and ready to take over the company. But even as I worked something was missing. I knew it was my soon-to-be-wife; however I had no idea when I’d meet her. But the song I’d hear every night in my dreams sated me enough until the day I was marked.

After I received it I kept a lookout, looking at business mogul’s daughters when they brought them along, sneaking peeks at women’s wrists at the company while making my rounds. But nothing.

“I almost lost hope… until the ball at the end of the week. On December 18th, I sat at a table, nursing a glass of wine, looking at my mark and considering getting seriously intoxicated. I barely heard the announcement of the new up-and-coming singer that my father absolutely had to book after going to a show at the Old Vale Theater.

“I stood up and turned to leave but then I heard it. The song haunting my dreams. I turned and all I could think was ‘Fates help me, she’s gorgeous’. It was when I saw the white doves flying up from the corner of the hem of her sparkling dress that I knew.”

Eisen took a moment to get lost in memories; his knife dragged a little pattern in his orange chicken salad while he thought of the ups and downs of the song. Tundra giggled as she took over. “I too, had received my mark and felt so sad and anxious I wrote a song from my dreams and sang it that night. I was doubtful, thinking that this was useless, that I was being dramatic.” She sighed blissfully before hiding a snicker behind her hand. “And then I saw a man with his mouth to the floor, I paid it no mind, as this was a normal reaction and kept on singing.

“I started to slow and stop when he started shoving people out of the way while running to the stage.”

Eisen came out of his trance long enough to defend his honor, “People have done worse things when they see their soulmate.”

“So why are you blushing Father?” Winter jabbed.

Tundra patted her husband’s hand before continuing, “When he finally reached the stage and jumped up on top of it, looking like a wildman while he grinned at me.”

“Father was furious.” Eisen muttered before taking a longer sip of his wine than before.

“You should have heard your grandfather, kids; he was so loud and making nonsensical threats.” Tundra chuckled, “But I only heard him in the peripheral because I was entranced by this impassioned man. For some reason, I felt as if he was more than a fan. He turned and stole a microphone and said ‘Keep singing. Please keep singing.’  And I did. I never broke eye contact, and when the bridge came up, he started singing along with me. He knew every word of this new song, smiling all the while.” She stopped to sigh wistfully. “We finished, and the rest of the room was quiet, even your grandfather. At that moment he pulled up his sleeve and showed it to me, his mark—one I knew instinctively belonged to me. I abandoned all the bracelets on my arm and did the same.” Tundra stopped to brush her thumb on the solid, deep blue band, the same color of Eisen’s eyes. Within the band were tiny, intricate snowflakes, blowing in the wind, only one of them was large and white sitting on top of her wrist. “Our marks lit up, bright and vivid. We laughed for a moment and then shared our first kiss.”

“The first to clap for us was Father. Suddenly, he wasn’t mad anymore.” Eisen chuckled. “For about a week he passed out celebratory cigars and doted on Tundra, he was so embarrassing but it had been awhile since I’ve seen Father smile like that.”

Weiss and Winter were fighting tears, their parents romantic meeting striking them in their hearts. “I hope something like that happens to me.” Weiss sighed happily.

“Well,” Eisen said after finishing his glass, “I hope he won’t follow in your old man’s footsteps and make a scene. A lovely scene, sure, but as public like that was…” He trailed off, “Anyway. I’m sure he’ll be absolutely enchanting. Hopefully you’ll meet him in a few days instead of two weeks.” He laughed and skewered another piece of meat on his fork, “Also, I heard through the grapevine that Arc’s boy was receiving his mark as well. “ The sisters shared a look, telepathically sending the hope that it would not be him of all people.

Tundra couldn’t keep the discomfort off her face. “He’s…an interesting boy.” She tried to hide some of it by nibbling on a piece of lettuce.

“You mean a noodle?” Winter muttered and Weiss hid her laugh behind her own glass.

“All I’m saying is…” The Schnee Matriarch tried to put this delicately, “I’m sure he’s a fine boy, but as a mother I worry, and I can’t stop myself from saying that he won’t be good enough for my daughter.”

Eisen nodded, “I empathize, and as a father it is my duty to make sure that the men in my little girls’ lives are good enough. But fate has its own way of doing things. Plus, if they are fated, then can you imagine what it’d be like having connections to one of the oldest families in Vale? A family with warriors in the army? Governors and lawmakers as well?” Eisen leaned back and smirked, the knife and fork dancing in his hand in excitement. “We might even be more powerful than we are now. Maybe we could even crush those annoying _animals_ from speaking out of turn ever again.”

Weiss increased her grip on her fork. The Faunus had done a lot to her family, to her as well. She rubbed at her scar and took a relaxing breath. Over the years she had felt more towards annoyance and then ambivalence towards the general Faunus population, and having only deep hatred for the White Fang.

She couldn’t keep that thought off her face and Eisen noticed. He pointed at her with his knife, “Don’t worry my snowflake, your future husband will take care of you. There’s no doubt he’s powerful and as beautiful as my own wife. Maybe he’s one of those teen actors. He’ll keep those monsters away.”

Weiss nodded and forced a smile on her face, “I’m sure…he will. Can we change the topic, please?”

“Of course, dear.” Tundra and Eisen said together.

Lunch went on as normal before the four separated. Weiss went back into her room and closed the door before collapsing on it. She slid to the floor and couldn’t fight the tears.

She knew. She had always known.

Her father assumed that her soulmate was a boy, not thinking about other options, all for one reason.

Grandchildren who would bind and create a connection to other businesses, and powerful men. And she feared that this man would get more stock in the SDC then her. Weiss wasn’t ignorant to her father’s duplicitous talk; she could read in between the lines.

She took small comfort in the fact that this was the most unlikely situation.

Despite her best efforts she couldn’t shake the images in her dreams.

It would be a jaguar who then would set fire to everything.

She knew they would be a faunus.

And she dreaded that they would be not only a faunus…

But a White Fang member.

* * *

Blake smiled throughout the day, even visiting the old orphanage she sometimes volunteered at—the one she lived in before—and told all the kids that today would be her day. They clamored and shouted in celebration, quickly having some sort of party improvised with games, some sweets from the Caretakers passed out and singing songs. Blake laughed and played along.

“What do you think they’ll be like?” A small panda faunus boy asked.

“Not sure. No one’s ever really sure. But if I had to guess…probably joyful, maybe they like the outdoors, forests and beaches and such. I think they might have light hair, and maybe they’re in a bad place now.”

“Bad place?” A ten year old rabbit faunus asked, her voice cautious.

“Well…I think I might save them. We save each other, actually. That how my dreams seem to put it.” She scratched her feline ears, free from her usual beanie.

Another orphan tugged at her pants, only a toddler with half a wolf’s ear missing, “You mean like a hero?” He asked.

“Maybe. Speaking of…would you all like to hear some stories?”

“Stories!!!” They shouted.  

She told old stories she had memorized backwards and forwards about soulmates beating the odds and finding each other. Soulmates who saved one another and soulmates that gave up everything so their soulmate would be happy.   
333

Blake left the orphanage putting back on her beanie and humming the tune from her dreams. She pretty much knew it by heart now. Across the street she saw Adam, relaxing on his new black and red motorcycle matching his usual wrap-around sunglasses.

“How’re the kids?”

“Healthy and safe.” She took the helmet he offered and sat behind him.

“Good. That’s good. I’m glad.”

Blake looked to the side, “You can always come with me—“

“No!” He gripped the bike’s handles so hard his knuckles were white. “I don’t want to go back. I don’t know why you do, we have a new life! One Tukson gave to us, I’m not going back. You can if you like but me?” He snorted angrily, a habit he could never break since he was little, “Never. As long as those kids are alright I don’t give a damn.” Adam rubbed over his eyelids, the burn that faced him every day. “They didn’t give a fuck about us back then when we were in that hellhole.” He put on his specially made helmet over his horns and started up the bike.

The ride home was silent. Blake thought of how no matter how hard she tried, she was too young to remember much about the facility, only that Adam was pretty much her brother even before they were adopted. And that one day where he suddenly had a scar. He refused to talk about how he got it, but she knew that there was a probability that neglect and humans who were the caretakers exercising quiet racism contributed to it. No adult seemed to do anything about it besides sending him to the hospital. She had stopped entertaining the idea that it was an accident like he always said when they were little.

When they reached home and parked in the garage Blake broke the silence. “Sorry, I know it gets to you, I shouldn’t have asked.”

Adam took off his helmet, much calmer than before, “It’s fine.” He patted her on the head. “I know that you just want to help people and do the right thing and all that jazz.” He stretched and went out the side door from the garage to the kitchen, “Anyway, how about some lunch?”

Blake smiled, “That sounds good, I’m craving a tuna fish sandwich and an app—“

“Apple, apple, apple. I know. What is your deal with them anyway? You’ve had an apple every day since you were like, ten. Are you afraid of doctors?”

“It’s nothing to do with that. I just…really like them.”

Adam opened the fridge door and grabbed an apple from one of the bottom drawers and tossed one to Blake.  “Sounds like you have an apple fetish~”

“Adam, oh my god.”  

“What’s this about fetishes?”

Adam jumped and hit his head before properly looking up and seeing Tukson looking less than amused.

“If I find any bondage gear we’re going to have a long, long talk.” The puma warned.

“It’s nothing like that!” Blake blushed, “It was just tall boy over here being stupid.”

Adam frowned at her before turning to Tukson, “Don’t you think it’s weird she’s had an apple every day since she was ten?”

Tukson stared blankly at him. “You really haven’t put it together yet?” It was Adam’s turn to stare at the other man. “That’s when the dreams started, clueless. When I started having mine, it had books in it, and so I read every book I could get my hands on.” He smiled sadly. “That’s why I opened a book store with Marie. She always wanted one,” He smiled sadly for a moment, and whispered “Children too. Before she passed.” The last part was difficult to hear, even with faunus hearing. “So I’m sure you get it now Adam. Let’s have lunch I’m starving.”

With flexibility and experience, the three worked independently on their own sandwiches while they all were in the kitchen. Ingredients were requested and passed, each faunus stepping around another and the table, and nearly avoiding a food fight, they finished and sat down.

“Can’t believe you got your mark before me.” Adam grouched, his ham on wheat bread sandwich muffling his voice.

Tukson swallowed his grilled chicken sandwich, “Don’t worry you’ll get yours. And don’t talk with your mouth full.”

Blake took a moment to savor her tuna sandwich before maturely answering, “Ha, ha. I win. Boo-hoo.”

Tukson mumbled an “oh my god” while rubbing his temples.

“Just you watch. My soulmate will be five times cooler than yours. I can feel it.” He smiled widely.

“Oh yeah? What do you see in your dreams?” Blake asked.

“Ice cream, mostly. And fancy umbrellas for some reason.”

“Fancy umbrellas?” Blake’s brow furrowed.

“Dreams hardly make sense sometimes. For a lot it’s mostly symbolism and interests or hobbies slapped together.” Tukson said sagely.

Adam nodded. “It’d be so much easier if they were straight forward, but no, gotta have _mystery_ and _drama_. That’s Blake’s shtick.”

“It’s meant for you to be interested and have clues to look for your soulmate. Ultimately it’s a journey you and your soulmate must make on your own.”

Adam threw his hands up above his head in frustration, “But I want to meet them now! Can’t the sandman or whatever’s manufacturing these things just give me a face at least?”

_“Parasols!”_

The two men stared at Blake, confused by her outburst.

“Those fancy umbrella things you keep seeing? I think you mean parasols.”

Adam blinked before taking a moment to think, but when he got it he stood up so fast the chair fell and he point at Blake in excitement, “ _That’s it!”_ Adam came around and picked Blake up, his ridiculous height making her kick in the air when the ground suddenly seemed uncomfortably far away.

“Hahaha! Adam put me down!”

“NEVER!”

“Put me down or I’ll kick your ass!”

“In what universe Kitty-cat?” The two bickered and slowly their roughhousing took them to the living room where the sound of body slams and running broke any semblance of peace.

Tukson shook his head and laughed quietly, “They grow up so fast.”

* * *

Taiyang smiled as he worked on an engine of a high-roller’s car. His business may have been relatively small, but everyone knew that ever since he came from patch, he quickly became the “Best Mechanic in Vale” and his business became notary.

Especially since the prices were affordable and fair, he only charged more for the wealthier like the driver of this car, his excuse was because he wanted to make sure everything was in order and since it was a newer car (this one only came out two months ago) it was harder to get parts if needed.

But the reason he was smiling is because his eldest daughter was humming a tune while fixing up her bike, Bumblebee. She was so happy it was infectious.

Yang stopped humming to check the snapchats her sister sent her. Ruby and Cinder took a long walk towards the mountains and relaxed on the beach of a lake.

Though, in a few she couldn’t help but feel that Cinder was messing with her. Especially when a snapchat came in showing Ruby dazed and nervous while Cinder fed her a strawberry with her mouth; judging from the angle, Cinder stole Ruby’s scroll for this. The caption “Sweet fruits and sweet girls, nothing tastes better.” And Cinder had the nerve to put hearts and winking emojis on each side.

Yang responded with a raised middle finger.

Almost instantly Cinder sent her another pic with her looking directly at the camera, cool, calm and collected with one eyebrow up. In the background you could see a blushing, fainted Ruby lying down.

The caption this time read: ‘Classy’.

“Oh fuck you, you little—“

“Okay! I think I’ve got this finished, Yang can you turn the ignition? I have to make sure this baby is purring in the right _key._ ” Taiyang’s eyebrows waggled and Yang had to cover her mouth to stop the gut busting laugh.

She was still giggling as she went and sat on the bag covered seats, they made it so none of the upholstery got ruined by oil and dirt from any dirty coveralls. With one turn the car engine started and turned over beautifully. Taiyang gave it a critical eye. “Systems check.”

Yang slowly went through each button and lever. She turned on the wipers, gradually changing modes until they were on max. She check the lights, revved the engine, she messed with some of the lights on the inside of the car as well as outside. Soon Taiyang nodded and gave a thumbs up, and Yang cut the engine.

“All systems go?”

“Needs a top off of anti-freeze and we can get this car back today. Thanks, little dragon.” He wrapped an arm around her and brought her into a one-armed hug.

“I’m not so little anymore, Dad.” Yang grunted.

“You’re still my little girl…and still three inches shorter.” Yang groaned and went back to tuning up Bumblebee with a scoff.

“Whatever, Dad.”

For awhile, there was just the clanking of tools and liquid poured as Taiyang took care of the last problem and then worked on getting the car as clean as a whistle.

Yang finished the final details and screwed back on the last bolts. She sat and admired her work before a question came up in her mind, “Hey Dad?”

“Yeah, hon?”

“Do you think…that it’s sort of weird that Ruby’s soulmate is older than her? By like, seven years?”

“It’s not uncommon. Sometimes fate just happens that way. Besides, believe you me there have been stranger soulmate stories. Ridiculous even.” He checked his watch, a gift from his late soulmate, Summer Rose.

“How did you meet Summer?” Taiyang froze, before slowly continuing to wax the vehicle. Yang felt a small sting of guilt when he looked to the faded white and red mark on his wrist, the sign of a dead soulmate. Some of the finer details had been lost but Yang could remember the white rose sitting on a bed of red rose petals, white plaited braids that twisted around its twin. “It’s just—it’s been forever since I heard the story.”

Taiyang sighed and started, “Well…firstly, I made a dumb move. Looking back on it now, it was a good thing; I wouldn’t do anything different if I had the chance to do it again. I mean really, look at all the good things it brought.” He turned to smile at her before bending down to get the tires, “So I got depressed and thought that drinkin’ while sad was a bright idea.” He scoffed.”And since I was sad and now drunk off my ass, I tried driving.” He looked over his shoulder and shot a warning glare Yang’s way. The younger blonde put up her hands, placating her father’s worries. “As soon as I get into the car—boom! It starts raining. Even worse, it starts to really come down. So, a wrong turn and dodging a truck later, I reach the end of the road with nothing but trees around me…or so I thought. In the woods to my left, there was a dirt road and a cottage and here comes this white hooded figure. I thought it was a ghost, so I get my drunk, stupid ass out the car and get running. Deep mud and my drunkenness tripped me up and I faceplant, knocking myself out.

“I wake up, groggy, sore, and had a hangover the size of an elephant on growth hormones. The first thing I see is sunlight and silver eyes. I could have stared into them all day. Then I took in the rest of her face, bright red hair, pink lips, heart shaped face…the only thing in my hungover state I could think to say was ‘Musta died, because only angels can look like that’.

“She giggled and I thought of windchimes. She introduced herself and of course…”

“Oh Dad…” Yang put her palm to her forehead and shook her head.

“I said ‘Never thought the universe would give me a bouquet of Roses’” Yang snorted.

“I couldn’t stop myself! It was one cheesy line after another but she kept smiling. Summer said ‘Well, I was worried you had a concussion, but if you’re coming up with lines like that, then obviously you’re fine.’ I offered to make breakfast since she put up with my silly ass. An eyebrow waggle later she agreed.

“Then it happened. Realization. Yang if I could only tell you one thing to prepare you for life, then I’d say that the realization part is as happy and fulfilling as it is scary. It hits you like a semi-truck with nitro boosters.

“But back to the story. Summer turned to show me to the kitchen—I got up and saw that she put fucking plastic on the couch cause I was a muddy mess—and since I wasn’t staring at her face I had _just_ noticed the white cloak she wore. I dropped to my hands and knees, I couldn’t fucking believe it. For so many reasons. When I looked up she was so seriously worried and all I could do was laugh. I showed her my wrist and those big, beautiful silver eyes of hers went wide, and she showed her mark, or rather, my mark.” He paused, and looked into the tinted windows at his reflection. With the car finished he made a text and then grabbed an empty milk crate in the back to use as a seat and flopped down next to his daughter.

“You were at Qrow’s for the weekend so I spent most of the day there, just talking…among other things.” A lecherous smile took up his face.

“Ew, Dad! Gross!”

“When you meet your soulmate you’ll understand. You wanna cry, cuddle, and then maybe later on, if you both don’t mind it, knock boots.”

“Dad…!”

“Just saying. After getting to know each other a little more, I needed her to answer one thing. How she felt about being a mother. It was a bit of a make or break deal. She may have been my soulmate but you were my kid.” He reached over and grabbed Yang’s hand, gripping it tightly, “I wasn’t about to abandon you.”

Yang stared off into space with a sullen expression. “Like your college fling did?”

Taiyang swallowed and looked at his watch, memories sprung up and he sighed. “You needed a mother—a real mother. And luckily she said yes. She said you were one of the most beautiful things she ever saw.” Yang smiled a bit. “Ohh, she fell in love with you instantly, her eyes lit up and everything. She grilled me on everything about you. Your birthday, your blood type, favorite color, the meaning of your name, what kind of stuffed animals you liked, everything.

“When she met you she refused to let you go for hours. You two took to each other like fish to water. After your birthday came around two months later—which she planned and dressed you up to the nines, by the way, it was a big shindig—we found out that she was pregnant with Ruby, about 6 weeks in. You were so happy to be a big sister.” Taiyang sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Those were some of the happiest days of my life.” He looked at the faded mark with nostalgia. “But yeah, that’s how I met Summer Rose and how she changed my life.”

There was a silence between the two, not uncomfortable, but just the feeling of acknowledgement for the past and all the emotions they carried.

Taiyang got up, grabbing the store keys. “Come on, little dragon, it’s time to close up shop. Twilight will be soon.”

Yang nodded and helped put things away, washed her hands, and rolled Bumblebee out. She suddenly stopped in the middle of the driveway. “Hey Dad?”

“Yeah?”

“Does that mean Ruby was discovery sex?”

* * *

It was almost time.

Weiss was fidgeting in place, glaring at the sun to set faster through the force of her own sheer will. “That’s not going to help.” Winter sighed,

“Sit down and relax, Weiss. You’re making everyone anxious.” Tundra lightly admonished.

All four Schnees and a handful of close servants were gathered in the living room. The servants consisted of trusted nursemaids and a few butlers that had been of service to the family for decades.

It was going to be bigger, with friends of the family and business partners, but Weiss insisted on it being a family affair. Eisen gave in, but that didn’t mean he didn’t brag shamelessly.

The large window in the room went almost up the ceiling and was facing the setting sun. Slowly the sky turned from orange and pink hues to mellow blues and greens.

Weiss’ heart started beating fast, like it was about to explode. Her brain felt like it was on a sugar rush. She went to the middle of the room looking everyone in the eyes before closing hers.

* * *

Blake paced back and forth, unsure if she was really ready. She had taken off her beanie because her ears kept folding back unconsciously, scraping against the wool and making them itch. Adam who had sat on the back of the couch followed with his head, starting to get dizzy. “Blake, come on, stop winding yourself up!” He groaned.

“He’s right, you look like it’s your life’s mission to burn a trail in the floor. Look, getting your mark is painless, and only happens when you two are ready to meet. Fate will guide you.” Tukson said, effectively slowing Blake down.

“Okay. You’re right. Okay. It’s just so nerve wracking. I’ve read about it so many times in books, but experiencing it for yourself is another thing altogether.” Blake looked out the window, seeing the last vestiges of the sun’s rays disappear. Blake’s heart thumped in her chest, electricity ran up her arms and her chest felt light. She turned to face her family. “Here goes.”

* * *

Taiyang brought a huge plate of cookies out of the kitchen and carefully took it to the coffee table in the living room, managing to find room amongst all the other treats. He slapped Ruby’s hand when she tried to sneak one. “Ah-ah, not until after she gets her mark.”

Ruby frowned, and directed it a Yang.

“What? You think you’re the only one? I’m eyeing that apple pie.” Yang said while rubbing her hands together like a dastardly villain. Taiyang fixed her with a warning face, and she dropped it.

“Too bad Cinder decided to leave.” He rubbed the back of his neck and looked out the door.

Cinder left with the explanation of “You three? The Xiao Long-Rose family? About to throw a celebration? That’s a disaster waiting to happen. I’d rather not be covered in food or bruises from your waving arms in what you call ‘dancing’.”

The family had looked at each other and sheepishly smiled. She hit the nail on the head with that one.

Taiyang sat down next to Ruby and leaned forward, just as excited for this as his daughters were. He may or may not have stashed some champagne somewhere just for this occasion. And he also bought a box of cigars, ready to shove them in people’s faces and brag about how his daughters have their mark and one is one the verge of finding her fated.

The long shadows vanished for it was not the sun casting them anymore, and the moon was slowly taking its place. Fire and heat burnt out to water and grass in the sky.

Yang stood in front of the fireplace and looked at the various pictures. She shook herself out and smiled. “Let’s get this party rolling!”

* * *

_In her mind’s eye Weiss was floating along in a white abyss before it turned black and a red stripe welcomed her. It was much more solid than she could have guessed. In the distance, a golden door stood tall and Weiss knew it was her future._

_She ran towards it, moving her legs as fast she could, but the door only inched closer to her. She was forced to stop as the red carpet twisted and stretched, reorganizing itself into curving turns and loops._

‘Nothing will stop me!’

_She sped through the obstacle, jumping over easy gaps, this time the door was coming towards her, gaining size but she would not be deterred._

_She grabbed the golden stylized knobs and pushed with all her might before being enveloped in light._

* * *

‘The Moon?’

_Blake looked up at the starry sky and saw not the moon, but a ball of light the size of a soccer ball. The light dipped and hummed suddenly moving super quickly like a hummingbird. It got into Blake’s face and circled around her before shooting back up._

_In its wake, a trail of sparkling dust that then transformed into a staircase. Blake had no hesitation and followed the unexpected guide, taking the stairs two out of time. Her natural balance and strong will made her surge upwards. The staircase moved into spins and curves, but Blake didn’t waiver, she followed until she was up where the stars lay. The excited light that lead her here flew up and then down into an invisible floor, filling it in with color and revealing a sturdy wooden lectern holding a large tome._

_She stood in front of it, rubbing the leather and velvet and smelling the familiar scent of dust and new book, something that should be completely foreign to this weathered book._

_Blake admired it for a moment more before opening the cover of the book and being surrounded by light._

* * *

_Yang lifted her face off the solid, smooth surface she was laid out on. She shook her head of the last of the cobwebs. Standing up she saw clouds dyed in pink and yellow._

_She also seemed to be miles from the Earth’s ground._

_The circular platform was unshakable and almost attached to the space it resided. While she walked and stomped in investigation she caught sight of another circle expanding and waiting._

_Yang smirked and backed up to the very edge of the platform before getting a small running start and jumping into the air._

‘Geronimo!’

_She landed in a perfect three-point stance and looked over the edge, seeing more and more circles lighting up in the vivid clouds._

_The wind through her hair made her feel amazing, the air here seemed lighter, smoother, like silk and all while being the same level of ease as it would be on the ground. The clouds as she passed through them smelled sweet and felt fluffy._

_With each platform cleared Yang could see the end in sight. It wasn’t ground but a sea made of sunshine and light. With no second thoughts, she dived down from the last platform into the light.  
_

* * *

Weiss was thrown back into reality like she bolted up from a nightmare. She felt a little light-headed but happy. The glow on her wrists was bright and lit up the room with gold and purple, the colors she’s dreamt of as a little girl.

Something occurred to her…

* * *

Blake stared as her arms shook. The colors…she knew them, they brought her peace and serenity before but now only confusion.

Wasn’t there only supposed to be one mark?

* * *

Yang fell on her ass while she kept a close eye on the white lights that slowly changed into light blue and purple. A combination that she had always loved, even if she never wore them. But…as she looked at her family, Ruby was confused just like she was. Taiyang on the other hand looked pale and horrified.

This wasn’t how things were supposed to go.

* * *

The three girls stared in confusion and fear. Each one had the other two’s mark residing on each of their wrists.

One was a thin, light blue band, serving as a ribbon that tied the several intricate snowflakes whose left and right points connected it to the other. It was much like the paper snowflake banners elementary students would do. On the very edges, there were gold and silver outlines alternating between each flake.

The next was black with purple ribbons wrapped around it, all of them converging at the top of the wrist as by an golden stylized version of a belladonna flower.

The last had four golden eastern dragons with each pair that faced each other had their maws wide open and blowing fire into what becomes a sun, the two tail tips that connected one pair to the other were wrapped around an amethyst orb. 

* * *

“What!?”

* * *

“How is…?

* * *

“This can’t be real.”

 


	2. Empathy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Posting the first and second chapters on the same day, because really, these two should be read together, but it’s very long when read together. So for everyone’s convenience, it’s in parts. Kind of unsure if I really nailed Yang’s part, but you tell me
> 
> So now the girls have their marks, how do they react?
> 
> Small warnings for mild abuse in a scene. If you skip Weiss’ part the short version is: Her Dad’s an asshole

Weiss stared at her wrists but no matter how long she looked at them one wouldn’t go away. She was scared and close to tears.

She looked up, remembering that there were other people in the room. Winter had her jaw on the floor; Tundra covered her mouth with her hands as she stared in horror. The nursemaids and butlers didn’t know what to think, deciding that the best way to deal with the situation was to look at anything but the frightened heiress.

No, not even that. She was a scared teen who had no idea what to do.

“Father I—what’s going on? I don’t—Father, help…please what should I do!” Weiss tried to rub them away.

Eisen’s face was blank except for the slightest twitch of his nose and the way his veins seemed much starker. He rose up slowly from his chair, picked up his forgotten glass of rum and downed it in one gulp. He walked up to Weiss and seemed to tower over her.

Weiss knees shook, “Father…you can help me right? You’re the most powerful man in the world you can get an explanation, right?” Eisen didn’t say anything but put both his palms out. Weiss put her marked wrists in his hands, he turned them back and forth. Eisen thumbed some of the details before closing his hands around the marks. “T-there’s got to be something…a mistake! Maybe we cou—ow! Father, that hurts!”

The grip Eisen had on Weiss tightened and kept increasing in force in proportion with how red and angry his face was getting.

Weiss tried to pull away, but her father’s grip was iron and she was only a fighter with a rapier in her hands. “Please stop!” Weiss became more frantic when she thought her bones were cracking under the pressure, she couldn’t feel her hands anymore. “Mom! Winter!” she cried looking over to the women who might as well have been statues.

He finally let go in time with Weiss’ tugs sending her backwards and hitting her head on the marble floors.

He only said two words to her, _“You slut!_ ”

Eisen turned his back on her, “What has happened in this room is to stay confidential… _understand?_ ” The servants nodded, sympathy clear in their eyes but fear in their shaking knees. “ _Out!!”_ he bellowed.

They all but ran, to maybe to the opposite end of the house, maybe in the gardens, and maybe even to their houses. As long as they were away from him, that was all that mattered.

Eisen took the whole bottle of rum, its contents swished back and forth with his brisk walk, and he left the room. Never looking back once.

Weiss couldn’t stop the silent tears from spilling, but she refrained from crying out by biting her lip.  

Slowly the other two Schnee women broke from their trance of disbelief and shock. Winter ran over and slid across the ground to lift up her baby sister and bring her head under her chin. She rubbed her back in soothing circles, “Weiss…” She couldn’t figure out what else to say. Winter looked desperately over to her mother who walked over stiffly, as if she was trying to convince herself that it was merely a dream, that reality was playing a trick on her. That Eisen hadn’t lost his temper, that Winter for once in her life didn’t know what to do, and that Weiss didn’t have two marks on her red wrists and was crying.

She kneeled beside her daughters and quickly checked that Weiss’ head was okay. Luckily there was nothing besides a large bump. Tundra gently picked up Weiss’ arms, watching the red irritation on her skin, due to the pressure it was subjected to, slowly turn back into its normal pale color. Tundra carefully pressed on it and rolled Weiss’ hands, she let out a breath of relief; her daughter’s wrist wasn’t broken.

“…Why?…”

The whisper was hard to hear even in the pin-drop silence. “Weiss? Honey?

“Why…is this happening? Why do I… have two? Why am I a freak?”

Winter hugged Weiss closer, “No, Weiss that’s not—“

“Then what is this!? What is this, Winter?” Weiss roughly pulled away and showed them her wrists and clenched fists. “If the Fates think this is a joke then it’s not funny! I am Weiss Schnee! The Heiress to the most powerful company in the world!” Weiss’ head bowed as she tried to stifle more tears, “Or maybe…I was. Father thinks I’m nothing but a…a…” She couldn’t the get word out. It stuck in her dry throat but it repeated over and over in her head, loud and in her father’s voice. “An embarrassment! How am I to—how am I going to carry the Schnee name!? Why!? Is this punishment!? What’d I ever do!?”

Weiss stumbled to her feet and took a few unsteady steps back, she stared into her mother and sister’s eyes with anger, sorrow, and betrayal,”…W-why didn’t you stop him?” she whispered.

The other two women exchanged guilty glances, Tundra spoke up first, “I was…reeling, and I didn’t think he’d…”

“But when about when I yelled for help?”

“Weiss…I should have…I was just—scared.”

“How do you think I felt!” She screamed, “It wasn’t like you weren’t there! It wasn’t like…” Weiss’ throat closed up and she broke down, falling to her knees. This time she wasn’t strong enough to fend off her family’s embrace.

“…Winter. Get your sister to her room, and you both _stay_ there.”

“What are you going to do?” Winter asked, putting Weiss arm across her shoulders. Her sister had always been a lightweight, but now Winter grunted as Weiss nearly tipped her over, weighed down by the emotional shock.

Her face took on a dark expression Winter had never seen before, “I’m going to have _words_ with your father.” 

* * *

Blake was trembling. Her arms shook with the effort to keep her hands up.

This isn’t like how all the stories go.

Not even close.

Wide eyes looked at the two men in the room who were just as confused and shocked as her. Adam thought his vision had finally went bad and he took off his sunglasses to get rid of what he hoped was an optical illusion, but her face told him that it wasn’t a mistake or trick of the light. Tukson had a million things running through his head and couldn’t properly get a thought out.

After a moment Tukson slowly stood up, one hand out as he approached, “Blake? Are you okay? Let me see.” When he got near she flinched and brought her arms to her chest looking all the more like cornered prey. Her breathing got faster as she started to hyperventilate. “Blake?”

Before either Tukson or Adam could do anything else, Blake ran past in a blur out the front door and slammed it shut. The men could see her disappear into the increasing dark.

“Blake!” Adam yelled. He moved to go into the kitchen and grab his keys for his bike. But he was stopped by Tukson’s hand grabbing his wrist, “Wha-what are you doing, Tukson!? We need to go! I need to find her!”

“Adam.” His deep voice held authority, “Do you really think you’re the best to handle this situation?” It was a stern but quietly said question.

“I! I-I!” The bull’s arm went limp and he stared at the ground, cursing his own uselessness. He _knew_ that he had no idea about getting your mark, and he was never the best at handling emotional situations, preferring to charge forward than think it through.

“Just give her a little space until the shock wears off. I mean, I was as shocked as you were, think about what she was feeling.” Tukson slowly let Adam’s arm go. Besides, there only one place she’d be, so finding her won’t be a problem.”

Adam’s hands clenched but he turned instead to go to his room.

Tukson sighed when he heard the door slam and something being thrown to the ground. “What in the world is going on?”

333

Blake hopped a fence and landed silently. She looked around but saw no one. She walked up the alley, night vision making her path clear as she rubbed and scratched at her wrists. They were starting to turn raw yet the two marks remained. As much as she wished, this wasn’t a dream, it wasn’t a joke, and it wasn’t a trick of the mind. Blake really did have two marks.

She sighed and stopped at an aged window about a foot and a half over her head embedded in a sizable but humble looking building sporting two large floors to ceiling windows currently darkened from when it closed for the day. The golden lanterns out front cast shadows that Blake slipped deeper into as she pressed to the wall and reached up. It took a little doing but she reached the top of the screen with her thumb, index and middle fingers and gave a good push upward, dislodging the screen and lifting the very bottom enough that she could slide it up all the way from the newly created gap. The window was a little trickier, but with both hands flat and sliding up the glass as minutely as possible, the pressure eventually brought the window with it.

From there, all she had to do was lift that up high. She took two steps back and got ready to run and jump up the wall right into the small space. Blake paused as something caught her eye and she looked down, the blue snowflake mark around her right wrist glowed, lighting up the dark alleyway. It was a soft blue that relaxed her for all of a moment before her face screwed up in confusion as the white blue light flashed instantly into a dark, corrupted midnight blue, almost black in its appearance.

Blake’s wrist burned and then felt as if it was freezing, the feeling crept up her arm swallowing any body heat as Blake fell to her knees. She fought the urge to puke as she broke out into a cold sweat. Soon, her hand and lower arm were consumed in invisible ice without even the courtesy to go numb. Blake bit her tongue to stay quiet just before something bloomed in her heart.

An emotion that wasn’t her own. Her eyes snapped closed and she slowly recognized the foreign sensation freezing her heart.

_Betrayal_

Just as soon as it came, the glow disappeared, letting the darkness consume the panting faunus once more. Her arm felt normal and warm again, but Blake couldn’t stop herself from shivering and rubbing it with her other hand. Around her wrist the blue mark felt too tight.

Blake took a few minutes to recover and stand back up on quivering legs. “Is that…what you think of this?” She asked the blue band, which remained silent, as if it could ever answer her question in the first place. All the more she felt that this was wrong, a curse. It hurt so badly. She had never heard of anything like that happening before, nor did she like the pain in her heart and the pit in her stomach it left.

Blake took a calming breath, putting the experience aside, and backed up to the other wall, fixing her eyes on her target. The pain in her arm had immobilized it, but after some ginger testing it seemed to fine. Blake crouched low and rushed up to the window, jumping into the small opening. She pushed herself up and over and landed neatly on the floor displacing some dust gathered in the long abandoned office. Blake turned and tugged the screen and window down firmly, erasing any evidence of her entry.

When Blake turned, she bumped her knee on the large mahogany desk, causing something to rattle and fall off. Quick reflexes saved the item from smashing into the ground.

Blake sighed in relief and inspected the fallen thing in her hands. It was a medium sized picture frame holding a photo of Tukson and his fated, Marie laughing and leaning on each other as the camera caught the confetti exploding from the poppers in their hands. In the background was a large green sign with golden lettering spelling out _“T &M Book Trade”_ with a banner hanging under it saying _“GRAND OPENING”_

The young faunus smiled fondly, she never met Marie, having being adopted after she passed, but she sounded like a nice, determined woman. Her red hair, chestnut eyes and lion’s tail were  Blake often imagined what home life would be like with her around. “Adam probably wouldn’t get away with half the shit he does,” She mused out loud. Her eyes fell to Tukson and Marie’s wrists, where they wore each other mark, the designs seemed to glow vividly in the otherwise aged and yellowing photo.

She gingerly replaced the picture frame back on the desk and sighed. Once more she looked at her own marks and frowned. She needed to focus on something else.

Quiet steps forward and a door later, Blake took a deep breath of breath of air to enjoy the recognizable scent of a mountain of books. New, old, dusty, the glue keeping the pages attached to the bindings—she loved it all. She meandered in further and took a seat in one of the big comfy chairs scattered around the back of the store, made for patrons who wanted to stay and read awhile. Blake closed her eyes and brought her knees to her chest.

For a long time she sat there, thinking over her dreams and analyzing the vision she saw during her marking. Any symbolism she could find and study eluded her, or just didn’t make sense in the context of the situation. She then went over any and every romance story she’s ever read, from fairy tales to epics, to mythology. Some backstabbing and ‘will-they-won’t-they’s, even wars in the name of love, but none of them really provided an answer. She looked down at her right wrist and frowned, _There was nothing about emotional link either,_ Blake thought.

“What the hell does this mean?”

“Well, what do you think it means?”  

Blake jumped up and looked behind her as Tukson materialized from the dark, the store keys dangling in his hand. “How—?”

“You’re not as mysterious as you think you are.” He slowly approached, gauging whether or not she’d run again, but Blake was just too tired. She was mentally, emotionally and physically tired.

She collapsed back into the chair and threw her hands up in surrender. Tukson chuckled quietly and took the seat next to her. “What are you doing here?”

Tukson snorted, “My child’s having a crisis and you expect for me to just let her brood?”

“Yes!” Blake slumped and slid down the chair until her shoulders were on the seat.

“Sorry, the brooding quota has already been reached thanks to Adam.” Blake smiled thinly at that. “So?”

“So, what?”

“What do you think it means?”

“I don’t know!” Blake yelled, a clenched fist hitting the arm of chair. “You’d think I’d be here if I knew? I’m—I’m clueless! I’m out of the loop! I’m…” Any tension she held slid off her face as she muttered quietly, “I don’t know.”

Tukson ran a hand threw his short hair. “It _is_ quite the mystery. Rather unique.”

_“Unique!?_ “ Blake gritted her teeth, and sat back up to glare at Tukson, “More like weird! It’s more like, like…?” She tried to think of a word in her vast vocabulary to describe it, but she merely sputtered. In the heavy silence that followed, Blake gave up and rested her hand on the feline ears under her beanie. “What if people see this? What’s going to happen?”

Tukson sighed and leaned his cheek into his hand as he slumped forward. “I don’t know—I can guess, but nothing is set in stone.”

Blake knew that he meant the old adage that people fear what they don’t understand. And they both knew how quickly fear can turn to anger. Tukson was human-passing, and Blake could easily hide it, but it didn’t alleviate the hate, nor did it always work. Adam was brave in that regard. Blake just thought herself as cowardly.

“Do you really think I might have…two soulmates?”

“According to the fates, yes, apparently.”

“Will I have to choose?” She quietly asked.

Tukson paused, but didn’t lie, “Maybe, but like I said nothing’s set in stone.”

“It…explains a few things at least.”

“Mmm?” He wordlessly asked while his brows furrowed.

“My dreams. They…they seemed conflicting sometimes. Like a two parter almost. I never really thought about it being like this, I just always thought,” She laughed balefully and put her hands over her eyes, “That’d we’d save each other or something, that maybe they were complex and deep, or maybe had fears under the surface that I could soothe. But now I just think I’ve been reading too many stories.”

“One hell of a story.” Tukson leaned back and looked at the ceiling, “I always been honest with you two, so I’ll just say it. Yeah, it’s unconventional, and maybe there will be a choice that has to be made. I won’t say that I know exactly what you’re going through, but I will say that you’ll get no answers from just moping. Personally, I think you should find them and spend as much time as possible with them. Even if it just happens to be one at a time. Because you see, time isn’t something you’ll always have. And you’ll kick yourself in the ass once you find out how much you’ve wasted.” He sighed. “I’m probably preaching or projecting at you, but I do think you should find them and settle this.”

Blake was quiet for a bit. “You’re probably right. I’m scared. But…I think being scared of not knowing is worse than knowing.” Blake hummed and furrowed her brow. “Wait ‘unconventional’?”

“Huh?”

“You said, ‘unconventional’. Not something like ‘unheard of’. Are there more cases like mine?”

“Well, I’ve read in some books that there have been some considerably unique situations regarding soul marks. The fates have a bad sense of humor sometimes, you know?”

“Which books?” Blake demanded.

Tukson was thrown off guard for a second by the fire returning to her golden eyes, although whether it was from the possibility of answers or just the fact of there being soul-romance books she hadn’t read yet he didn’t know. “U-um, I think I read them at the library, those really old tomes they keep on the third floor? People have been curious about the marks since forever, so there’s a lot of historical books and records on them.”

Blake nodded and looked away; Tukson could see the plan coming together in her mind. “Tomorrow.”

“What?”

“I’ll hit the library tomorrow, see what I can find. I might not have an answer but maybe those books will.” Blake stood up, hope and determination brightening up her once defeated image. She turned to Tukson, “Thanks…you know, for coming out here. And for, well, not letting me brood.”

Tukson laughed and stood up as well, taking out his car keys, “No problem. You should really be thanking me for not letting Adam come here.”

“Talk about a disaster.”

“My priority was to help you, but I admit, I also wanted my store in one piece.” They both laughed, wide smiles on their faces.

* * *

“Whooooooaaaaaaaa.” Ruby marveled at the new additions to Yang’s skin. She poked at them experimentally.

“Pretty cool, right?”

“Well…” Taiyang’s jaw flapped comically for a moment before finally closing. He turned and stared at his watch, rubbing it back and forth. “I’m sure Summer would have thought i-it was cool.”

Yang looked at her dad, “Are you okay, Dad?”

“Yeah, yeah.” He ran a hand through his long hair, “I’m just…bowled over, I mean wow. Both my little girls are growing up, going on dates, meeting their fated…”

“Daaad” Yang and Ruby groaned.

“What? You’ll always be little girls to me.” He pinched their cheeks, one hand on Ruby’s and one on Yang’s, joining them in sisterly solidarity and embarrassment; making sure to pull and wiggle their cheeks just to annoy them more.

“Aww come on, Dad! Cut it out!” They protested.

He relented and laughed at both his daughters rubbing one of their cheeks looking like they had a cavity. He took a piece of pie and leaned back, looking fondly at Ruby and Yang.

The sisters rolled their eyes and returned their attention to the intricate patterns on Yang’s wrist. “See, Ruby? I told you my mark—oh I’m sorry— _marks_ would be way better than yours!”

“That’s not fair! You got two!”

“All’s fair in love and war, Rubes.” Yang smirked and turned her wrists this way and that, looking over every little detail and committing them to memory. She was sure that she would recognize them immediately, even from far away. In her own mind she could feel an instinctual vision of what her mark looked like, accepted when she jumped in the ocean of light. “Besides, even if I had one, either one is far…” She held up her left hand, the one with the blue ice design.

Ruby’s eyes widened, “Yang, don’t do it.”

_“Cooler_ than yours!”

“Oh my god.” Ruby needed cookie therapy. She was going to let the person with that mark really have it; she was going to make sure they know what horror they had unleashed.

“ _Chill_ out Ruby! No need to be…” Yang held up her right wrist, “ _Wrapped up_ in your own jealousy.”

333

Weiss and Blake eyes twitched for some reason. They also felt very exasperated.

333

Ruby quickly cut a piece of apple pie—which was half gone thanks to Taiyang—and put it on a plate that was passed in front of Yang, buying her silence with bribery.  
“Oh come on! That one was good! I mnp reammphy!” Yang was unsuccessful in speaking due to the cheesecake she was shoving in her mouth, much to Ruby’s relief.

When her dad didn’t join her in sighing, Ruby turned to Taiyang. The man was looking ahead, but staring at nothing, a serious look on his face. Ruby shivered because just under it, she could sense that desolate look he wore for months after her mother died.

“Aw man, I gotta get my camera!” Yang smiled brightly and shot up and ran towards the stairs.

Taiyang blinked and snapped out of it, leaning over the edge of the couch to help his voice carry the admonishment, “Yang I don’t think you should take—no running up the stairs I’ve told you a thousand–!” Taiyang was cut off when he heard a loud thud and Yang cry out in pain.

Over the years, parents are able to tell the different pitches and meanings behind their child’s cries and screams. From when a baby wants food or needs to be change, to when they’re older and the difference between playful yelling, scared screams, or cries of pain.

Every instinct in Taiyang’s body blasted warning bells and he sprung forward and jumped off the couch, moving in desperate strides, and rounding the corner only to have his breath catch in his throat.

On the stairs his eldest daughter was collapsed on the stairs, her body wracked with pain, and screams were forced through gritted teeth. He snapped out of it and closed in, holding Yang to his chest, “Yang? Yang!? What’s going on!?”

Yang hissed and lifted her left wrist with her other arm, flexing and tensing with the effort as pain rushed through her. The arm with snowflakes bathed them in an eerie, dark light. “Yang!” From behind them, Ruby rushed to their side, gasping at the sight of her sister bathed in sweat and shadows, Ruby had never seen her sister in this much pain since she fell off a four story tree and ended up with a dislocated and broken arm, fractured leg and a nasty gash on the back of her head.

Yang groaned and closed her arms against the pain, trying to rein it in before she ended up flailing her arms and hitting her family by accident. But god, it was so _painful,_ so _cold_ , like someone slowly poured liquid nitrogen over her arm and started to chip away at it with a cleaver without the courtesy of letting it completely freeze through.

Something whispered in her mind, it was without a voice but its words and volume unmistakable.

_Grief_

All at once the pain ceased and the tinged shadows cast around by the tainted light disappeared, leaving Yang confused and relieved. Taiyang almost screamed when Yang went limp, but her erratic breathing was evening out and any crease in her face smoothed back out into Yang’s usual peaceful expression, the only evidence of her ordeal was the cold sweat that clung to her skin like the bangs of her hair to her forehead.

“Yang…? Ruby quietly asked, Taiyang being too busy being shaken up to do much more than hold Yang almost to the point of leaving bruises.

“I’m fine, I’m fine…I think.”

Taiyang croaked “You think!?” the girls wincing when it came out a bit louder than he probably intended.

“I don’t know. It was like…like I was having feelings that weren’t mine. It had to have been pretty strong too. It hit me harder than taking a kick in the face by a kickboxer.” Slowly Yang leaned up, and with the help of her father and Ruby, she stood up, wobbly, but still on her feet. “I think…I’m going to take a shower.” Yang climbed a little slower than usual up the stairs.

When the bathroom door closed, Ruby looked at Taiyang who looked like he had seen a ghost and was as pale as one too. “Dad?” He jumped like he forgot she was in the room.

“Y-yes, sweetie?”

“Do you know what that was all about? I’ve never heard of soul marks doing that.” Taiyang looked back up the stairs and swallowed, fidgeting with his watch.

His mouth formed a thin line, “No. I haven’t. Come on, let’s clean up the living room. You can help me finish off the rest of the cookies.”  

333

All clean from her long shower and smelling like her favorite green apple conditioner, Yang came out. She had spent a long portion of the time staring at the mark that had flared and wondering about what it meant. She yawned and started to get ready for bed, but her mind was stuck on the earlier incident. “Did something happen?” She asked the blue band, hoping that maybe an answer would come through, even if it pained her like on the stairs.  

A knock came from the other side of her door, “Yang? Hey Hothead, it’s me.”

“Hm? Come in, Dad.” Taiyang opened up the door and came in, pausing to look up and down the hallway. Yang watched as he slowly closed the door and put his forehead against the doorframe for a moment. Taiyang’s usual vim and vigor seemed to evaporate, and even from her spot behind him, Yang could see his whole body deflate. His shoulders slumped, his hand dropped at his sides like they were weighed down, and his legs were bent a bit as if it was taking all his strength to stay up right. “Hey…is something wrong?” Yang swallowed to soothe the dry spot in her throat, flashes of the past danced in her head. The time so long ago when Taiyang spent months on the couch or in bed staring at nothing, his thousand mile stare inspired unease whenever a small Yang checked on him. The half-filled bottle of alcohol that seemed to permanently affix itself in his hands stunk almost as bad as Taiyang himself, who would barely react to his name. Even when Yang’s uncle Qrow kicked him in the side and yelled at him behind closed doors.

Yang came back to reality when her dad let out an earth-shaking sigh. “You really are my daughter.” Taiyang turned around with a painfully forced grin on his face and red rimming his eyes. He came closer and lifted his hands, “Can I see…?”

A pit still remained at the bottom of Yang’s stomach but at the very least, he was talking. She put her wrists in his hands and watched as he ruefully laughed to himself, passing his thumbs over the new patterns imprinted onto his daughter’s skin. “Yang…are you…happy about this? Are you scared, mad? Does it…does it hurt anymore?”

Yang took a moment to think, “Yeah. I guess. I mean,” She took her hands back and sat on her bed, using her finger to trace along the intricate patterns of the marks. “I won’t say that I’m not weird-ed out or anything, or even scared. On the staircase…it wasn’t the worse pain I ever felt but it was more emotional than physical? I don’t what this means. I’m going to find out though.”

“Do you think that you’ll meet them both?” Yang paused her tracing of the other band, the thought had crossed her mind, that maybe she was meant to choose one. “It hurts when you can’t meet them at the same time, or when they choose to leave.”

Yang’s brow scrunched as she looked up at her father as he crossed the room and sat heavily on her bed. “Dad? What do you mean?” the pit in her stomach turned into a sinkhole.

Taiyang looked up at his daughter with pain and fear in his eyes. He was a coward. He knew it too, so he covered his face with his hand so he didn’t have to look into Yang’s inquiring eyes. “Yang…I’m so sorry.”

Yang’s hands clenched, “Sorry? For what?”

His other hand joined the first, “Ruby can’t know. Ever. She wouldn’t be able to take it, I don’t think.”

With more he pitifully talked the more Yang’s anger rose. She walked up to him and pulled Taiyang’s hands away from his face, only to see tears and a quivering jaw, “What Dad!? What did you do!? What are you talking abo—“

_“—I’ve been lying to you!”_ He looked at the ground in shame, “I’ve been lying to you since you were little. I didn’t know how to tell you the truth, so I just—didn’t. It was easier. But now…” His eyes darted to Yang’s marks, “Now that this happened…you need to know the truth before you get hurt. Knowing beforehand is better than experiencing it yourself. I should know.”

The silence in the room was deafening, broken by Yang stumbling back and leaning against the wall opposite the man whose hands flopped onto the mattress like he was a lifeless ragdoll. Yang took deep, fast breaths. “You should know? Know what? What’s the lie…?” At his prolonged silence, her voice broke, “Dad? Please. Don’t shut yourself in again.”

Taiyang fiddled with his watch, like he always did when he was nervous. In fact, Yang couldn’t remember if he ever took off that watch. Since it was from Summer it made perfect sense that he wore it all the time but now that she thought about it…

Taiyang clenched his hands open and shut, “Summer was the best thing that ever happened to me. And it would’ve been better—twice as much!—if Raven had stayed.”

“Who’s…Raven?”

“Oh…I never told you her name did I?” Taiyang finally looked Yang in the eye, “Raven was the name of your mother, your biological one…and she was…more than just a college fling.”

Yang’s body tensed at the pure sadness and remorse in Taiyang’s eye. It was then that she knew. But she just needed to hear him say it. “W-what was she then?”

“…She was my soulmate.”

Time stopped. Everything was crystal clear and detailed, from the tears on Taiyang’s face to the wind blowing in from the cracked window, playing with the curtains. It was so still. Yang couldn’t breathe. She could barely stand as her legs shook. It was one thing to know that your biological mother was just some random girl who skipped out on her daughter and the father. Someone who didn’t give a damn. Someone not invested. A stranger. She could deal with that. It was hard but she never felt as if she was a “mistake” because Summer had been there.

But…to know that your biological mother was something to Taiyang, something as significant as a soulmate? Then if they were fated, why did she leave? Weren’t they…Weren’t soulmates supposed to be there until the end?

Why did she abandon them?

Why did Raven abandon _her_?

It had to be minutes later before Yang spoke, and even then it was so quiet. Had it not been for the heavy silence, Taiyang would have never heard her, “Is she dead?” Yang thought of the times she asked that, and Taiyang would look away shrug and play with the watch on his arm. His answers were always vague:

‘Dunno, I guess’

‘Maybe. Who cares?’

‘She’s not important’.

‘You won’t meet her, Yang. It’s not possible.’

“…She’s alive.” Yang’s knees finally gave out and she slid down the wall, taking after her father and hiding her head in her hand and balling the cloth of her shirt above her heart with her other.

“Do you really know, Dad? Have you…spoke to her?” Yang slowly looked up.

“No. Not since she left.”

“How do you know? How do _I_ know you’re not lying again?” Yang asked just as quietly as before, the only difference was the clenched teeth.

“If I wanted to continue lying, this conversation wouldn’t be happening at all.” Taiyang answered just as quietly.

“Then How. Do. You. Know?”

An eternity passed again and both of them felt as if they aged a decade. Taiyang fiddled with his watch, Yang kept her eye on it, wondering, but having an idea of what was under there. “I know because…well let me start at the beginning.” He took a deep breath and sighed. “It hurt so much when she left. On the anniversary of her leaving…the day after your birthday…there would be the worst pain in my wrist. It would remind me every time.” He paused and drew in a shuddering breath, “That night I met Summer…two years later? I left you with Qrow…Raven’s brother…” Yang curled up more.

_‘He’s just a family friend’_

She felt sick.

“And I was depressed and angry and still…still hopelessly in love with her no matter how much I tried to forget. I attempted to forget that time with a bottle. Then another. Then another. I don’t remember how many but after awhile, I stopped thinking about it, but then again I could hardly think at all by that time. And the things…the things that me and Summer talked about…well cried about…was Raven. Summer…”

“She had her mark too, didn’t she?” Yang finished.

“…Yes. She said…Summer said…that the day she left me…her arm burned and she wanted to cut if off it hurt so bad. Both of us knowing…knowing that we’d never see her again…that Raven willingly cut the bond of fate and left us all alone. I had Raven’s mark before Summer’s showed up on my other wrist. Same for Summer. Neither of us knew why it took us so long to find the other.” A humorus laugh, “But…the whole thing was so crazy we just chalked it up to the weirdness of the situation, you know?”

He stopped to gather himself for a moment, “But it was still there. Proof of the fated who rejected us. We got things for each other, I got Summer a bracelet, one of the large metal ones. And she…she gave me this watch.” Both of the blondes stared at the timepiece, light clicking of the second hand going its job without fail. The black backing and roman numerals contrasted outstandingly, but still complimenting the silver casing and band.

“I know she’s alive like I know Summer’s dead.” Yang’s heart raced in her throat, desperately hoping she wasn’t going to see the evidence of Tayang’s lie as the buckle and clasp were undone and the silver slid off his skin.

A sudden intake of air was the only way to know that Yang was alive.

Unlike the withered, faded band on Taiyang’s right wrist, the left wrist’s mark was vivid, as bright as the ice and ribbons on Yang’s skin.

A solid band of deep crimson made it look as if Taiyang was hurt, but the almost ominous bird—Raven ha ha, so damn clever the fates, Yang scorned—tracks rounded his wrists with black feathers fluttering around in random intervals.

“I’m so, so sorry.”

The house shook with the force it took for Yang to slam her fist into Taiyang’s stomach and send him crashing into the wall and off her bed, back-first. Yang stood with her teeth clenched and bared. The palms of her hands were slowly becoming decorated with the same coloring as Raven’s as her nails bit into them.

“She’s _alive?!_ …All this time you knew, you fucking knew and you never told me? You never told me what really happened this whole time! You would spend the whole day after my goddamn birthday in your room, all this time I thought it _was because of me!_ That just me being here reminded you of her or something, fling or not, or that you felt bad because you had to take care of me…that you _resented_ me or something. But it wasn’t my fault! But you didn’t tell me! You just shut yourself in like you always do! You never talk about any- _fucking_ -thing Dad! _Never!”_

Taiyang flinched, and not just from the punch, “I thought it’d be easier if you didn’t know.”

“Shouldn’t you _let me decide that?_ I wanted to know Dad! Why she left, how you met, I just—I just wanted answers! My whole life I thought there’d never be a chance, that she wasn’t even alive!”

“Even if she is alive, I don’t know where she is. And it just seems like a long shot that you’d find her.” Taiyang sighed.

_“Don’t you think I know that!?”_ Yang wiped her hand on her face, trying to will away the tears building up, “I’d find her. I’d look. If she’s out there then I’m finding her.” She passed her fingers through her hair. “Not knowing is worse than actually knowing.”

Yang’s last declaration heralded silence. Yang couldn’t look at her father, she couldn’t bear to. Taiyang slowly sat up against the wall and shakily stood up, he tentatively reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder, she didn’t immediately shrug him off, which was a good sign. “This…could get complicated, the two marks thing. I just…wanted you to know…”

Yang stared at the floor still but answered “I…know, Dad.” She used the back of her hand to wipe away some tears. “You sure picked a good time to be truthful before the fact.” She grumbled.

Guilt swirled in Taiyang’s stomach. “Like I said….We can’t tell Ruby.”

“…No. At least…we can’t until this plays out. It’ll just worry her.” Yang said.

Slowly, Taiyang took his leave and gently shut the door. When the sound of steps on the stairs vanished, Yang turned and smashed the wall behind her.

The drywall gave way and cracked under her might and the tears she desperately held back in front of her father, the tears he didn’t deserve to see, flowed down her face. “Mom…why? Why did you leave me?”

* * *

Winter held her sister as she thrashed, and the elder sister bit her lip to keep from screaming too loudly from both fear and pain. The right handed mark had suddenly turned into a raging red and bathed the room in the color. Then Weiss fell to the floor and yelled in pain.

Weiss’ arm felt like it was shoved into hot coals. The pain was unrelenting and complex, layers and layers of hurt danced from her wrist to her shoulder, threatening to consume her being. Her left hand was gripping Winter’s so tight, the bones seem to creak under the pressure. It was just so strong and Weiss could barely handle it, but amongst all the pain, Weiss could sense in her heart the emotion the owner of the golden mark was feeling.

_Abandonment_

The light cut out and Weiss’ arm dropped limply to the floor. Weiss slowly released her hold on Winter’s hand, and the older sister carefully flexed it. “What was that?” Winter asked gently.

“I’m…unsure. It was like…I was feeling what they were. It’s hard to describe. But one thing’s clear, they are feeling it…rather intensely.” Weiss carefully moved her arm, which now had no aches, like the burning never happened in the first place.

“So you can feel each other’s emotions?” Winter asked, standing up and helping Weiss to her bed.

“I think it’s only when it’s overwhelming. Winter…the pain they were feeling…it was incredibly terrible.” Weiss stroked the golden dragon mark, “Does that mean…? Did…did they sense me earlier?”    

* * *

“This shit’s getting old.” Blake grunted through gritted teeth. Her left mark was the one going out of control this time.  She was in the living room when it decided to go off. Adam was freaking out, and Tukson got an ice pack, but it was pointless, the fire on her arm couldn’t be cooled, and the pressure from all sides made her think that her bones were going to be gnarled and compressed like a beaten up can.

The red light lit up the spot on the carpet where she fell to her knees, her forehead pressed into the floor with the hope that she could knock herself out with the pressure she exerted instead of deal with this. Again.

_Rage_

“Bunch of drama queens.” Blake hissed before the light faded and her arm felt lighter than air. She slumped onto her side taking deep breaths while Adam carefully picked her up and held her head to his chest.

“What was that?” The bull said, trying to keep his cool, like he hadn’t been rushing back and forth in a panic.

“Wild guess. Emotional pain to physical pain. It happened earlier too. Not pleasant.”

Tukson dropped heavily onto the couch and stared at Blake, “This is turning out to be complicated.”

Blake sighed and touched the golden design on her wrist. “Complicated doesn’t even begin cover it.”


	3. Found You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Weiss and Blake have a plan and Yang's got some feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Goals for this chapter: How cheesy can I make this? How disgusting can I make Weiss' dad? How many times can I mention Blake's ass? And how angsty can we make this?
> 
> Warning: Emotional/verbal abuse, and in Yang's second part look away if you have emetophobia

Only a few times had the Schnee Estate been so empty and cold. Weiss winced at every step of her heels; the sound reverberated off the walls and made it sound as if she was cracking ice. Thin ice.

The hallways seemed to have an unnatural breeze and despite the weather turning slowly into Autumn, it still was a warm, sunny day outside. Or at least, that’s what the view outside told her, but Weiss couldn’t shake the white flurries of snowflakes dancing in her peripheral.

As Weiss peeked in every doorway and opening she could hardly find any sign of life. Not that she blamed the service staff, after last night…well; she assumed those who were there must have warned the rest of the servants and maids. But even so, take one step in through the front door and you could tell that this was a time to be particularly scarce. By what was quickly becoming habit, Weiss vacantly scratched at her wrists until her nails caught on the gauze Winter had wrapped around the marks. Overnight they stayed in Weiss’ room, able to hear the verbal battle taking place across the mansion. It was muffled, but a few words had made it crystal clear on what Eisen thought on the matter.

_‘Freak’_

_‘Disgrace’_

_‘End of the Schnee line’_

_‘An embarrassment’_

_‘Fated Whore’_

And Weiss heard for the first time curse words being thrown out of her mother’s mouth. It wasn’t the first time they’ve argued, but it had been years since the last one—never mind the intensity of last night’s fight.

Weiss shook her head and tried to put the negative thoughts in the back of head, and straightened her posture. However the reflections in the windows and the glass of large picture frames told her that she couldn’t wipe away the _exhausted_ expression resting heavily on her face.

The dining hall came into view and Weiss was almost shocked back into reality by the sound of silverware on porcelain. Sitting there was Winter. To anyone else, her sister would look the same as always, but Weiss could see the slight slump in her shoulders, her military tight bun was a little looser, and the bags under her eyes hidden with custom makeup to match the pale Schnee complexion that ran in the family.

Winter practically jumped to the ceiling from her deep thoughts and mechanical motions when she heard the too loud cracks made by Weiss’ steps. She quickly got a hold of herself when she found Weiss behind her, just as tired, “Morning.” Winter weakly offered.

“Morning,” Weiss repeated. She took the seat next to Winter and let the chair handle her posture when she leaned back into it. Slowly and cautiously a butler—one who witnessed last night’s events—came up.

“Good Morning, Miss Weiss.” Weiss looked at him practically sweat while holding a professional face and pleasant smile.

“Hello Smithers.” Weiss sighed.

Smithers seemed to fidget subtly before clearing his throat, “What would you like for breakfast?”

“I’m not hungry—“

“—She’ll have eggs, sausage and an blueberry muffin, Smithers.” Winter cut in.

Smithers flicked his gaze between the sisters and nodded. “Certainly…uh, Miss Weiss?” the younger Schnee didn’t really answer but fixed her eyes on his face. Quietly, only able to be heard in this absolute silence he asked, “How is your head?”

Weiss tensed and gripped the arms of the chair tight enough for the wood to creak, before she let go and sighed, she was really too tired to be angry at someone who simply wanted to know if she was okay. “I’m fine, thank you…actually; could you bring me a few aspirin?”

Smithers seemed to relax a tad, “Right away, they will be with your breakfast.” He bowed and left.

After they couldn’t hear his steps any longer Winter turned to Weiss, “How are…your marks?” Winter cringed slightly at the plural, remembering the lights and pain Weiss had been in.

“Fine.” Weiss grunted. She didn’t say any more as she felt Winter gently lift her left arm and inspect the gauze, frowning when she saw that it had been disturbed and frayed from manicured nails scraping against it.

“Has there been any more…incidents?”

“No.” Weiss said, this time gratefully, “Have you ever heard of such a thing?”

“Hmm, it’s rare, but there have been stories of some soulmates sharing a slight emotional link but, I don’t think it was anything as intense as that.”

Weiss nodded. There was a silence as Winter finished her breakfast. Soon Smithers came back pushing a cart with Weiss’ breakfast and beside it a small plate bearing two pills of aspirin and a glass of orange juice. The heiress thanked him and the first thing she went for was the medicine and juice. She hadn’t realized how parched she really was.

Weiss reached the back of her head rubbed the large bump there, “Have you seen Mother?”

Winter cringed, “Well, sort of.” She considered her words under Weiss’ scrutiny and patted her lips with a napkin to buy time. “Mother was…I had only caught a glimpse of her passing by the doorway of the duel room. She was…so out of it, Weiss. I had thought her a ghost before I did a double-take. She didn’t even respond when I called out to her, and when I rushed out to catch her in the hallway she seemingly…” Winter frowned and made a vague gesture with one hand, “Disappeared.”

Weiss absorbed the information for a bit, slowly making her way through her eggs. Finally she asked, “…And Father?”

Weiss really didn’t like how expressive Winter had been this morning, if her older sister was too tired to hide her true thoughts in the Schnee way then she must have been very worried and very tired.

The specialist frowned very deeply and Weiss swore there was a hint of teeth hiding grit teeth. Contradicting her incensed face Winter answered calmly, “Do you really have to ask?”

Weiss sighed. That meant that Eisen had holed up in his large study, doors locked most likely.

Weiss finished her plate and stared at it with determination, “I have to talk to him.”

Winter thought she must have been hearing things, “Excuse me?”

“This can’t go on, Winter. I have to do something. This is my fa—“

“—Don’t. It is not.”

Weiss didn’t believe her.

“He might do something drastic if I can’t at least appease him somehow.” Bitterly Weiss continued, “My position and the family line are at stake after all.”

Winter tugged on her specialist outfit in slight guilt and looked away.

After a moment Winter sighed, knowing there was nothing she could do to persuade her sister, “Call me if anything happens.”

“Ok.”

* * *

 

“Did you even sleep?” Adam leaned in the doorway of his sister’s room. Blake sat at her desk, writing a list with one hand and snacking on an apple in the other.

“No, not really.”

“Tukson told me you’re gonna be at the library.” He walked closer and noticed the immense amount of tabs open.

‘Strange souls! Find out what this Vacuo man got as a mark!’

‘History of Souls and Love’

‘The life and times of the Markless’

‘Scientist might have discovered something new’

‘Worship the Fates to get the best results’

There were even more but his attention was mostly taken up by the long chart of titles and numbers that Blake highlighted by row and copied the information on a fresh notebook. Her usual neat cursive was now messy and rushed so unless he looked carefully through the small font he couldn’t really tell what half the words said.

While Blake scribbled furiously he looked over her marks, he frowned to see they were rather red, “Were you scratching at these?”

Blake paused, “A bit. You know how you can get really hyper-aware of something? It kept bothering me. I stopped...eventually.”

“Were there anymore lightshows?” he carefully asked, not really enjoying the idea of Blake curled up in pain again.

“Not a flicker.” She wrote two more lines and then put the mechanical pencil down so she could lie back in the cushy office chair the Faunus family received from the edge of the road, left by someone moving. Hey, furniture is free furniture. “I had my dream again.”

Adam perked up, “Oh? Anything different?”

Blake pursed her lips and thought for a second, “It was a tad clearer on what they looked like, and I think I saw my mark on their wrists; one on their right and the other on the left. So I could differentiate them better.” She lifted her arms above her head and looked at them like a teacher grading tests.

Adam nodded before letting out a deep breath, “I’m going to go to work so, have fun, I guess.” He patted her on the head between her ears and left. Blake said her goodbyes and picked her notebook up to study the contents a little more.

She put her notebook in a book-bag along with other supplies like pencils, pens, highlighters and an energy shot drink. She was expecting to spend the whole day there after all, sleeping would be a waste of time.

Blake went in front of the mirror and fixed her beanie over her feline ears, and slipped on a leather jacket. After a moment’s consideration, she grabbed a wristband she bought in her scene/emo phase (she shuddered at the memory). After it was clasped she sadly looked at it, “Sorry.” She mumbled. It wasn’t like she was choosing, but walking around with two marks would draw too much attention, and the yellow one was a little bit too flamboyant for right now. But if Blake ended up in the Historical Archives section for a second day, she’d switch wrists. There’s no one up there anyway, it’s easily the dustiest part of the whole library.

* * *

 

Yang vehemently took another bite from her croissant, practically glaring at Taiyang, who was rubbing the bruise on his stomach through his work jumpsuit. Ruby kept looking between the two, anxious because it had been a very, very long time since the Rose-Xiao Long house had seen an argument between the eldest daughter and the father, not including the time the two blondes spent two hours arguing about curfew—but that wasn’t…this extreme.

She knew when she caught Yang spackling a hole in the wall (something that she had become unfortunately adept at) that this morning wasn’t going to be good. Under the table she was texting Cinder, asking for help, or at least a military-grade extraction from the War Zone.

Taiyang sighed—and then winced—and asked, “You coming into work today?”

Yang narrowed her eyes, “No.”

“That’s fair.” Ruby’s eyes crossed in confusion. Her father never let Yang miss work unless she was sick or incredibly injured, which didn’t matter half the time because Yang would simply go anyways.

“Uhh…are you guys okay?”

“Yes.” They answered at the same time without looking at her.

Taiyang sipped at his coffee, “It’d probably be better with what happened yesterday,” Yang tensed, “The whole ‘stair incident’ thing could happen again. We should see if this is a daily thing or whatever.” Yang relaxed, slightly.

“Okkkaayyy. Oh, uh, Cinder wants to hang out today.”

“That’s fine.” Taiyang said.

“Check in, okay?” Yang asked. Then the two blondes sat up quickly enough to rattle the table and went their separate ways.

As Taiyang opened the door he jumped slightly in surprise at Cinder poised to knock. He let her in and morosely said goodbye. Cinder looked up at Yang who was standing at the corner, stopped by the sight of someone at the door. The two women stared at each other before Cinder’s golden gaze slipped down to Yang’s clenched wrists and the marks painted above them.

Yang growled, “What are you staring at?”

“You.” Cinder didn’t miss a beat.

Yang’s teeth bared and her angry retort stayed on the tip of her tongue when Ruby kissed her sister on the cheek, momentarily stunning her, and rushed Cinder out the door for her own good.

Ruby pushed Cinder into the brunette’s swanky car with her unusual strength and then threw herself into the passenger’s seat. Ruby fiddled with the seatbelt, “We gotta go. Now. We can talk on the way.”

Cinder frowned. Fated or not, she didn’t like be pushed and then ordered, she opened her mouth before a yell came from the house. Leaves and rocks on the house shuddered off when devastating smash shook the house. Soon, curses were heard and uneven steps, most likely from Yang hurting her hand.

The older woman quickly put it together that Ruby wasn’t ordering her, but warning Cinder of the impending bomb about to blow.

Cinder decided that they should go. Immediately.

After a bit, Cinder reached the highway, preparing for a long drive, just to anywhere. For some reason, driving on the highway always calmed both her and Ruby down.

“What happened back there?” Cinder asked carefully, sparing a glance to her fated who was resting her head on the window.

“I’m…not sure. Yang and Dad had a fight last night. It was really bad. I only heard a little of it though.”

“What did they say?”

Ruby recalled last night as she heard her family yell at each other—well, more like Yang yelling at Taiyang—she would have investigated, but something told her that staying in her room was the best option. Ruby sighed, “Dad did _something_. Something that Yang took to heart. I think I heard the words ‘soulmates’ and ‘lie’ and ‘shouldn’t you let me decide that?’ it was weird. I think maybe Dad might have told Yang something about her soulmates.”

“What, like he knew who they were?”

“I don’t know…I think…I think maybe Dad told Yang not to find her soulmates.” The the younger girl did something Cinder absolutely hated.

Ruby sniffled.

Cinder jerked the wheel and swerved into a lane while cutting someone off before veering down an exit. On a long empty stretch of country road, Cinder parked to the side and looked at Ruby, who was tearing up. The older woman held the crying girl close to her chest, petting her fated’s hair, “Oh, Ruby. That can’t be true…you know how gung-ho Taiyang is about soulmates. He didn’t even blink when he met me.”

“I know, but I can’t think of anything else! You saw them, Yang’s marks, who knows what that means! Maybe Dad drew the line, or…or something…! I just—I’m scared. I haven’t seen them like this since I was a kid.”

Cinder nodded and soothed Ruby who had been reduced to soft tears. Cinder knew how much family meant to Ruby, and how sensitive she can be sometimes. Ruby one day convinced Cinder to drive out to a mountain in the middle of what the driver lovingly called bum-fuck nowhere. She had been very angry, the road was not exactly easy and Ruby switched from talking bring stoically silent. Another trek in the woods and Cinder was about to blow, but once she saw that little stone on the cliff engraved with words and a familiar symbol, her anger melted into understanding. (and feeling a little like a jackass)

_“Hey mom, I want to introduce you to Cinder, she’s my fated!”_

Cinder slowly learned how that family that she jokingly called a little slice of happiness was fraught with underlying tension.

Cinder would never admit but she did like the normal, loving setting at the Rose-Xiao Long house. It was different from what she was used to, and despite butting heads with her overprotective sister—in an amusing fashion—she was easily welcomed into Ruby’s family.

_No, this will not do._

Cinder Fall did not give a single flying fuck if it was her own family, _no one_ made her soulmate cry.

But first things first, “Hey, come on. It’ll be alright, they’ll work through it, those dunderheads can’t be mad for too long. They’re too…sunshine-y for that.” Ruby giggled a little, “I was saving it, but I have two VIP tickets to that new amusement park.”

Ruby perked up, “Really? How? Those tickets have been sold out for months!”

“I have connections.”

Ruby nuzzled Cinder one more time before sitting up and wiping off her tears, “Sounds like a plan. Thanks Cinder.”

Ruby smiled and the older woman felt her heart miss a beat. _This is illegal. How is one person this cute? Ugh, Neo’s never going to let this go._

* * *

 

Weiss stood in the empty hallway, staring at two large oak doors that stood tall, almost to the ceiling. Nervously she lifted her hand, and after a moment’s hesitation, she knocked.

There was a bitter silence.

“Who is it?” Eisen barked.

Weiss started to sweat, “It’s me, Father.”

A thump of glass on wood, and then, “What do _you_ want?” Weiss swore that he said something afterwards but ignored it.

“I want to talk.” The only answer she got was a harsh, short laugh. She plowed on, “I have a plan. This is…unnatural of course,” Somewhere deep inside, she felt sick at the word _unnatural_ , “But I found that the library has quite the collection on books that might explain this phenomenon. Perhaps this is simply a choice, maybe I’m fated to two powerful men and the universe is giving me options. Maybe I could even find a clue as to who they might be so I could make the right choice. I am a Schnee,” _Right?_ “I should get the pick of the crop.”

There was a long, tense silence.

“It is…a possibility.”He grunted. Weiss felt hopeful for the first time in a while.

“I just wanted…your consul on what to do.”

Another silence and then she heard the doors click and open just enough for her to slip in before they automatically closed. When she caught sight of her father Weiss fought to keep in a gasp. Eisen Schnee had a few half-filled bottles of wine and the empty rum container from last night. The room smelt like alcohol and musty cigars.

Weiss had never seen her father, who ordered all his suits to be pressed and ironed perfectly until the edges looked capable enough to slice steel, the same man who had most everything in his closet tailored, he seemed in such disarray that Weiss had nearly thought he was a sloppy imposter.

Weiss also eyed the vivid red mark on his left cheek set perfectly in the shape of a hand and the bags under his eyes.

He stood and walked over, setting off Weiss’ fight or flight instinct, but by sheer willpower she stayed still. He sighed and rubbed the slapmark, “This is your fault. I hope you realize that.”

Weiss looked off to the side and nodded. “Yes, sir.”

He stared at the gauze around her wrists, “As long as you know that. And I suppose that my actions last night were…extreme. But you have to understand Weiss, this could _ruin_ us. Bring the company down, the next heiress, a who—” he paused and rubbed his cheek again, “A fre—an _anomaly_ would draw the media’s attention, our competitors could make a campaign against us.” He leaned forward to whisper, “Perhaps those murderous hellhounds in the White Fang could use this against you.” Weiss shivered, partially from the thought, but mostly from the atrocious smell of liquor on his breath. “Maybe the Fates might be telling us that one will die. Who knows? But I’m glad you’re taking steps to deal with your…disorder.”

Eisen turned to sit at his desk, and in those precious seconds Weiss allowed herself to feel sick. However her placid mask was back instantly when her father turned around.

“Schnees must never be anything less than _perfect_. Although this might open avenues.” Eisen hummed, “Do you have any idea who your soulmates might be at this juncture?”

Weiss at least had a cover story, “A few ideas.” She undid the gauze and lifted the dragon on her right arm, “Someone involved with jewels maybe? Or judging by the spheres, maybe even Dust? Someone cultured, strong. Like that Lie Ren fellow.” Eisen nodded, approving of her hypothesis so far. “And the other,” She unwrapped the other and presented it, “Fashion, textiles, perhaps dyes? Maybe it’s more metaphorical and means he has connections—like my husband should—or a good family line.” Weiss was surprised that her voice did not shake the entire time.

“Good deductive skills. As expected. What will you do if you find one before the other?”

Weiss swallowed, “If he does not seem like Schnee material than I shall assess the other. If he is then,” She allowed a small rueful smile as she averted her gaze to the floor, “It would save everyone time and trouble if I just never looked for him.”

Eisen laughed and clapped his hands, “That’s my girl, a true Schnee! First come, first serve but if you are obviously inferior, then you sever ties. Good girl, obviously you got my business sense.” He stood up and clapped her on the back proudly; it was almost hard enough to make her fall forward. But then his face changed and he held her shoulder, not soft but not hard; just enough to make sure she didn’t run. “However…what will you do if they are unworthy?”

Weiss’ eyes went wide—she hadn’t really considered that. Her heart raced and her jaw opened a few times to try to answer, but nothing was forthcoming. Her brain managed to grab at something when it was motivated by the expression on her father’s face turning sour, “Then…I shall…” She cleared her throat and stood tall despite the rock in her stomach, “You want an heir, correct?” Eisen raised an eyebrow and nodded, “Then as the grandfather…you should choose.”

Eisen grinned, “Brillant. Absolutely brilliant.” Weiss couldn’t hide the disgust at the grin, but luckily the CEO just thought it was from the possibility of the situation. “Don’t worry dear; I’m sure it won’t come to that. You won’t fail me again, correct?”

Weiss tried to look relieved, “Of course not.”

“Good. Good, good, good. Now go, figure this out. Even if we don’t find an answer, we have a backup plan. Excellent.” Eisen picked up some wine and poured it into a glass. He smiled behind it and waved her off. “Good luck landing a husband. I cannot wait to meet my grandchild. Dismissed.” Weiss nodded and said goodbye.

As soon as she left the hallway she ran into her room and texted Winter a summary, including Eisen’s appearance. Winter replied quickly:

_Good plan._

And then:

_You were lying through your teeth weren’t you?_

Weiss stared at the message for awhile before answering

_Yes._

She deleted the conversation and went to her en suite bathroom and let the sinking feeling truly unleash itself and the disgust at herself manifested deep in her heart as she took a shower. She had to sell herself out like chattel. Like the slut he knew her to be. She _gave_ him control of her future grandchild. She _hated_ it. She hated that her child would be nothing more than a pawn in her father’s plans. She hated the increasing ire towards this damn child that she hasn’t even had, and really…doesn’t even want.

Thank small miracles that her vanilla body wash got rid of the lingering scent of sour wine, and clogging smog.

Weiss winced as she roughly dried herself. As she moved on to her marks she cringed disheartenly.

_Sorry._

* * *

 

Blake stopped in her walk to the library and suddenly hyperventilated as her wrist tingled. She ran into the nearby forest and went in deeply before she lifted up her sleeve to see that wretched light again.

Her nails scratched wood as she let out a stress relieving scream and fell to the forest floor and had her first ever anxiety attack

_Fear_

_“The Fuck!?”_ As she cursed profusely something else came through.

_Help_

The light faded and Blake stayed there on the grass, overcome by confusion and worry. She thought back to what she told the children at the orphanage the other day.

_“Well…I think I might save them.”_

“Sometimes I hate it when I’m right.”

* * *

 

Yang slid on her knees and made it time to lift the toilet seat lid and vomit. The blue turned black again and the pain went after her stomach with knives. She was so glad she didn’t go to work because there was no way she could handle this.

_Disgust_

It took awhile but Yang could breathe properly again. Her head pounded and she lay limply on the tiled floor. “What the hell is going on with you, Snowflake?”

She didn’t expect the second feeling.

_Father_

Yang swore she could smell smoke.

The light vanished and Yang flushed away any evidence of her breakfast’s second coming. “You got that right. Dads _suck._ ”

* * *

 

After the impromptu trek in the woods, Blake made it to the library. She was mildly furious that she had lost an hour not only in walking back but recovering from whatever the hell that was. But in her heart, she was worried, what could her fated be going through that summoned that response?

Blake had thought about several situations, most of them depressing. _Are they in slavery or something? Were they attacked? Are they going to be attacked? A death in the family? It must be something serious._

She shook away the dark, plaguing thoughts and opened her bag to get the notebook. Blake neatly tore out the page with all the titles and corresponding Dewey Decimal number and headed straight up to the third floor.

Well, that’s what it was called anyway. It was more of a third room. Over the second floor was just a relatively small area that was reached by stairs that leaned more forward instead of up. Under a large circular stained glass window was an area that was sealed off with glass to carefully control the conditions inside so as not to harm some of the ancient books—at lot of them were first editions—that resided there. Due to how specialized it was, hardly anyone was up there. There were more modern books on soulmates and markings that were far more accessible. You had to be working on thesis level research or projects to consider going here.

This was part of the reason why Blake was shocked to find someone else on the otherwise empty floor.

The other part was that the patron was…well, Blake had problems drawing her eyes away from the white, tight cardigan sweater-style dress with a wide hood flipped up and sleeves long enough to touch the girl’s knuckles even as she strained to stretch to reach a book. Her stretching also showed off that despite her short height she had amazing legs that Blake thought only models would have. The mystery girl smelled delightfully of vanilla and mint, almost clouding Blake’s mind before she focused her attention away from her enhanced sense of smell.

Quietly Blake approached from behind and easily raised her arm and picked out the faded green book the girl had been so vehemently reaching for, “Here, this is the one you wanted, right?”

Weiss jumped in surprise and rounded on the smooth alto voice behind her, only for her answer to be stuck in her throat.

_This girl is beautiful_

Tall, dark, and mysterious personified, the taller woman’s golden gaze trapped Weiss’ blue one. There was a playful smirk on her lips and her whole posture was relaxed, seemingly drawing out Weiss’ former anger borne from embarrassment. The new arrival had ebony locks that fell in light curves like a river at night down to the middle of her back. Weiss also could help but appreciate the almost rebellious sense of fashion; black jacket with bright decorative zippers, a tight black tank top—Weiss swore there was a hint of abs—skinny jeans with a rip exposing her left knee, and a purple beanie finishing off the look.

Weiss subtly swallowed and coyly pushed a small loose hair behind her ear, “U-uh, thank you. But I would’ve gotten it. Eventually.”

Blake’s grin grew and she kept looking into the girls blue eyes with perfect make up—occasionally she would drop her gaze lower to see that the dress had a boat neck cut and she had really nice, prominent collarbones framed by a necklace that dipped under the hem. Blake couldn’t get rid of the nagging feeling she’s seen this girl before, in a book? A magazine? Somewhere.

“I’m sure.” Blake finally snapped herself out of her rather thirsty trance and looked at the book the smaller girl took from her hands. It was one that was on her list, ‘The Fates’ Outliers: Studies of Unusual Relationships’.

“Well, it’s not my fault there’s no stools up here.” Weiss pouted.

“Yeah, well no one comes up here, so the librarians just decided to bring them downstairs where they’re needed more. Um, there wouldn’t happen to be another copy of that book would there?” Blake looked up at the shelf.

“Sorry, no. Why? Did you need it?”

“I’m uh, doing a project and I thought that maybe I might um, stand out from the rest of the class if I used older texts.” Blake offered, hoping that her story sounded natural enough. “Can I ask why you have that particular book?”

Weiss didn’t panic, “My sister hadn’t gotten her mark yet and I grew curious about aberrations involving soulmates and their marks. The other texts were too…vague for my taste so I decided to step it up.”

“Makes sense.”

“Yeah.” The two looked away from each other, trying to rein in their blushes.

“Um, by chance have you gotten your mark?”

“Oh! Oh, no. But I have a feeling that I will soon.”

Blake tried to not let her face fall, and instead went another route, “So, not your sister, huh?”

Weiss blushed, “And what of it?” She said indignantly, crossing her arms and stamping her foot. It took all of Blake’s will power to not laugh or coo at the response.

“Nothing, nothing. I hope whoever you’re fated to finds you soon.” Blake genuinely said. Just because she was feeling down about her future, it didn’t mean she should be unkind to such a beautiful girl whose future will bright. She was almost jealous of her fated.

No, she was definitely jealous.

Weiss laughed woodenly and paled the slightest bit, “Me too.” She lied. “Thank you, again.”

“If you need a hand, I’m going to be here for bit.” Blake threw her bag lightly to the other table across the way, eight feet away from where Weiss’ table where her stack of three books resided. Blake pulled out her list and started skimming for the first title.

Weiss smiled and nodded, “Okay.” She went back to her seat and breathed out heavily. She looked to the side and bit her lip; she just _had_ to spend a moment looking at the taller woman’s perfect ass. “Oh my Fates, I need to study.” She pinched herself and got to it.

Weiss grabbed her own notebook and a trusty pencil and opened up 'The Fates’ Outliers: Studies of Unusual Relationships’ The first chapter that caught her fancy was ‘Changes: The Transformation of a Mark’ a succinct enough title.

On yellowed, gold glided pages it had very detailed handmade drawings and clear, handwritten ink as the book’s font. The chapter went into impressive detail on the life cycle of a mark. It started with a mark’s ‘birth’ where the author compiled an anthology of people’s experiences that happened in their mind’s eye during their marking. It then went into a three pages worth of speculation concerning symbolism and the subject’s related life experiences that may have shaped the journey.

Then there was a small section about a mark’s ‘remembrance’ talking about how people could instinctively identify their marks through only a glance thanks to this process. Then the book described hitcher marks with what Weiss thought to be a very romanticized theory, but still had valid points.

Afterwards, Weiss expected for the book to talk about the death of a mark where it diffused and dulled, marking a soulmate’s death. However, she was met with a section she had never even thought of before: Drifting.

_While generally uncommon, if one is to accept a person’s (Human and Faunus included) shortcomings and natural predilections, then it becomes easier to see that while two people can be soulmates, personality or uncontrollable circumstances could lead to two soulmates falling out of love. In my opinion this can be seen as a slow death. The subjects’ marks will slowly loose details before the main band fades slightly in a way not unlike the death of a mark. It will still be vivid, but severely ‘damaged’._

On the other page there was an example, it was simple, a wide band spread out in a line to let the reader see all of it. On it, a large star in the middle and then two more colored-in stars on each side decreasing in size.

_Refer to fig. A: The normal appearance in full form before two soulmates start drifting._

Below figure A was the same drawing, only the smallest star on the right was now blank.

_In fig. B the mark changes the slightest bit, most of the time it’s subtle, inconspicuous, and neither fated would notice it. It becomes further incomplete when the relationship hits a rough patch, one that might even change the nature of the relationship itself such as: a death of a child, bankruptcy or even the start of domestic abuse. In fig. C thru G the details are increasingly absent and therefore more noticeable to those with an outside perspective. Peculiarly, those I asked hadn’t noticed until the disappearances reached around figs. E or F._

_I theorize that ‘remembrance’ might be a fault for this. The mental and/or emotional state changes everything, and what at a glance looks like their mark in its normal state is actually a corrupted view planted in their mind. This is how the person thinks the mark should look like before it comes to a point where reality cannot be over looked._

_For example, imagine as a kid you have a bright red kite. Over the years you don’t play with the kite for whatever reason, and then when you do pull it out after a long stretch of time, you are surprised to find that the kite in actuality was orange. A sort of ‘Rose Colored Glasses Effect’ if you will._

In the corresponding drawings the five stars started to disappear, one by one. It started with the complete blank star then its symmetric partner on the other side simply, disappearing without going through the loss of color. The medium sized stars disappeared in the same alternating pattern before the large star itself was faded and then gone.

_I hypothesize that when the marks have the approximate appearance of F or G, then the process is irreversible and those fated to come together would now be slated to come apart._

_The last figure (fig. H) is the sort of ‘living dead’ point of the mark. The fated is still alive but the love is gone and thus the mark has lost almost all its meaning and has deteriorated into an emaciated state._

Weiss felt sick. But she became even more shocked when she turned the page and found the second form of the ‘Drifting’ phase.

‘Splitting.’

One of the soulmates for whatever reason leaves. Completely and suddenly. There is no attempt to keep the relationship going like in the previous form. The person just leaves.

_As far as I know, I am speaking to the only woman around these parts—or even in decades—to have to undergo this affliction. Upon knowing her soulmate for all of two weeks, he left her. No note, no warning._

_She woke up and no one could contact him. However she knew he was still alive by her bright mark. She told me that ‘every year the mark will flare up and I feel as if part of my very being is torn apart. Never have I experienced something so painful.’_

When the author started to surmise that the man in question cut off his arm she slammed the book closed and covered her face while leaning back.

Blake, who was on the far side of the room looking at a book almost jumped to the ceiling at the sharp snap that might as well have been a gunshot next to her ears.

She leaned past the shelf behind her to see the other occupant looking like she was near tears. Carefully she approached, “Is everything alright?”

“Would you ever leave your soulmate? Just because?”

Blake felt almost insulted, “Who the fuck does that?” She didn’t mean to cuss but something welled up in her that made her furious. Weiss opened to the ‘Splitting’ chapter and watched as the taller woman’s face grew paler and paler. Soon enough she had the same reaction as Weiss and quickly closed the book, albeit more gently than Weiss had.

“Exactly.” Weiss muttered. She pushed the book towards Blake, “You can have it if you want it. There’s another book by the same author. This one has good information, but it sickens me.”

Blake stared at the book, unsure if _she_ even wanted it. Curiosity won out and she put the book with her pile, mentally noting the ‘splitting’ page so she could skip it entirely. Afterwards, she went back to her search, shaking her head the whole time. How cruel.

The room was quiet for all of a minute before Blake caught a frustrated swear come from behind her. She turned and saw Weiss practically flipping off the wall with her glare. The frustrated woman turned to Blake, and despite her pride, raised her brow the tiniest bit in a silent, humble request.

_Who could say no to that face?_

Weiss pointed up, “Do you see the navy book there?” Blake skimmed the shelf, frowning slightly when it didn’t immediately come into view amongst all the drab gray and brown hardbacks. Then bending her neck up her face went slack.

In the fourth row from the lowered ceiling was the book Weiss wanted. “Ooh boy.” It had to be 6 maybe 7 feet up.

“Do you think you can get it?”

_If I was on the moon maybe_

“I’ll try.” Blake said, not exactly confident. “This could be a problem.” Blake knew it would be in vain but she stretched up as far she could on the tips of her toes and even hopped up but she didn’t even come close.

After ceasing to be mesmerized by a fine ass, Weiss curiously asked, “How tall are you?”

Blake grinned, “I’m 5’ 9” what about you?”

Weiss scoffed in envy. “Five foot even.” She glared when Blake laughed. “Just focus on the task at hand, please!”

“Okay, okay, sorry.” Blake cleared her throat and bent her knees so she was low to the ground, she wondered if even with her Faunus heritage she could reach it. She was a lot more agile and balanced than most of her peers like Adam had ridiculous amounts of upper body strength. With one deep breath she flew up, she was one row away and couldn’t even get her fingertips on it. She frowned before turning around quickly and landing with her knees bent once more to soften the landing. Her legs protested a bit seeing as it was still quite the fall.

“Oh, wow. How’d you do that?”

Blake stood up and rolled her ankle a bit until it cracked, and Blake sighed as it felt more comfortable. “I did a few years of gymnastics. Strong leg muscles.”

“Impressive.”

“Thank you.”

“But unfortunately, it doesn’t solve our problem.” Blake was going to ask if the blue eyed girl truly needed this book, but just a glance told her that this was more about pride and spite than intellectual pursuits.

“Wait here, I’ll get a tall stool, or maybe even a ladder.”

“Fine.” Weiss huffed and watched as the dark haired woman left and descended the stairs.

Blake went to the information desk on the ground floor and approached the rather strict looking librarian with her blonde hair pulled into a tight bun and her green eyes quickly looking at Blake before softening just a bit. “Hello, Ms. Goodwitch.”

“Hello, Blake. Are you picking up an ordered book?” She put her fingers at the ready over the keyboard.

“Oh, no not this time. Actually I was hoping you had a ladder or stool for the third floor, there’s a really high up book I need.”

Goodwitch nodded and opened a drawer to retrieve a golden key. We put in a ladder system that with a key that opens up a small opening. Reach in and tug it out, it’s magnetically hooked on the shelf.”

Blake blinked at the librarian and then at the key she now had in her hand, “It’s just that simple?”

“It’s just that simple.”

After feeling like an idiot she thanked the librarian and made her way up the stairs. When she opened the door she saw something awe-inspiring.

Awe-inspiringly _stupid._

Through some ingenuity and heavy lifting, Weiss had somehow put together a perilous makeshift tower with the tables and the chairs. Weiss was stretching up and managing to get her fingertips on the edge of the navy book. She pulled and made it so the binding of the hardback stuck over the ledge and she triumphantly grabbed it.

Thing was, to grab it she had to jump the tiniest bit onto her toes to reach it, and the tower shook. Blake watched in horror as a chair leg slipped and the small woman was slowly drifting to the side.

The world slowed and Blake felt her heartbeat pump so hard it filled her ears, her breathing got fast as her eyes seemed to close in on Weiss’ face and the regret and fear showing plainly in her expression. Her legs burned as she moved them as fast as she could and jumped.

She wrapped her arms around Weiss’ waist and let their momentum fling them diagonally across and over the falling hard and edged furniture and onto the hard wood floor away from the collapsing tower.

The landing was rough. They landed hard with Blake taking the brunt of it on her side, knocking her elbow loose and Weiss fell from her grasp whilst they skidded to a stop.

Blake groaned and mentally counted all the possible skid burns in various spots. Her head spun a bit but she sat up and took stock of the wreckage. Thank fully none of the book shelves fell, and while a few books had jiggled only a whopping number of two books fell off. Most of the wood was wrecked or cracked. The tables were stacked on, so besides a small break and one nasty skid mark, it was totally salvageable. The chairs weren’t as lucky and it seemed that maybe two wasn’t banged up enough to not support someone sitting in it.

Hearing a gasp Blake was sourly reminded of who started this mess, she turned and asked, “Are you okay? What were you thinking? You could’ve…hey, are you listening to me?”

Weiss was turned away from her one hand on her chest and the other frantically feeling around. “No. No, no, no, where’d it go? Where is it!?”

“Uh, what’s wrong?” Blake’s ire disappeared completely when the other girl turned to her with tears in eyes, but she didn’t seem hurt beyond a skid burn on her leg.

“My necklace! It’s gone! It must have fallen off when we landed!” Blake blinked and opened her mouth before re-thinking her question.

“Is it that important?”

“Yes!” Weiss all but screamed at her. Blake didn’t like being yelled at but the tears on Weiss’ face tugged on her heartstrings.

“Okay, okay, I’ll help.” _She doesn’t seem to be the type to cry unless it was really important._

Weiss almost frantically looked around, even in between every book, and every book’s pages. Blake looked low, under the darkness of the shelves where her night vision made it easy to look around. Finally, when she got to the end of the aisle she spotted something shimmering. “Ah-hah!” Blake said triumphantly.

Weiss looked up, her eyes filling with hope rather than tears. “Did you find it?”

“Yeah, I think.” Blake groaned as she stretched her arm under the shelf and with a little effort she managed to grab the chain, “Okay, did your necklace have a silver…apple…”Blake paused and stared incredulously as she sat up and her mouth went slack. She turned and took a closer look at the tear stained face of the girl down the aisle.

“Yes, thank you… Is something wrong?” Blake chuckled before outright laughing. When she finally managed to calm down she met Weiss’ glare with fondness. It threw Weiss off guard, and she didn’t move as Blake gently put the necklace on the floor and in one smooth motion slid it over. Weiss cupped her hands and picked up the accessory and thankfully bringing it to her lips and kissing it.

Weiss’ eyes flew open as the visage of the white forest invaded her sight, and how just a little bit away was the jaguar that found her every time.

Her mouth flapped and Blake broke into a grin, “Y-you?”

“Me.”

“But—but I…”

Weiss was cut off as Blake hummed a tune, and then she began to sing _“Mirror, tell me something…”_

Weiss’ chest tightened and her heart fluttered. Before she could stop herself she sang, _“Tell me who’s the loneliest of all…”_ Weiss’ opera-level voice filled the room and Blake’s ears, it was one thing to hear that lovely tune in her dreams, but to have the singer right there in front of her made her want to cry in joy.

Blake valiantly held her tears back as she slowly approached Weiss. Without any protest, Blake gently pushed the hood of Weiss’ dress down, revealing her pure white hair, worn down and loose in hopes to minimize attention as Weiss made her way to the library.

“Beautiful.” Blake whispered despite herself, and Weiss couldn’t take anymore.

She couldn’t stand being so close to her soulmate, breathing in her lilac and new book scent, her soft, loving gaze in those sharp, golden eyes, the content smile on her lips.

She felt like she was going mad, and she just couldn’t take it anymore.

Blake’s brows went up in surprise when two pale hands grabbed her face and she suddenly had a tiny, gorgeous, and breathtaking girl in her lap kissing her for all she’s worth. Blake closed her eyes and returned Weiss’ fervor, kissing her as if she needed Weiss so she could breathe. Their lips were perfect against one another, pink and soft as Blake tasted the vanilla lip gloss Weiss wore. The taller girl found that she desperately ached for more.

Her hands sat at Weiss’ side for a moment before one came up and tangled itself in Weiss’ silky hair and pulling her ever closer. Weiss wrapped her arms around Blake’s neck and slid forward in her lap until they could feel each other breathe as they sat chest to chest. Weiss’ hands petted the long hair on Blake’s back marveling at how soft it was, and her other hand indulgently slipped down until she felt Blake’s tight stomach. Blake moaned and licked Weiss’ bottom lip, asking and quickly receiving permission to kiss her deeper, exploring where no one had before and let her tongue dance with her fated’s. Blake’s hand went lower until it reached the border between Weiss’ tight dress—which could only stretch so much, causing it to strain and slip upwards when Weiss moved further into her lap and straddled her—and soft, milky skin, Blake left it there, happy to stroke Weiss’ thigh until Weiss decided that she should grab Blake’s hand and pull it up until the faunus was cupping the heiress’ ass. Blake’s heart raced at how bold her fated was being, and quite the few images flashed through her mind, all of which would no doubt get them banned from the library if she were to act on those fantasies here. Weiss was surprised at her own actions but she really couldn’t help but _crave_ physical contact, craving Blake to touch her and making her feel lighter and purer than she had in the last 24 hours. She felt mildly embarrassed as she pressed closer and closer and hoped that Blake couldn’t feel how hot she was down there.

When their lungs burned they finally parted, but only enough so that they were touching foreheads and staring deep into each other’s eyes. Blake laughed a little, disbelievingly almost, and whispered against Weiss’ lips, “I missed you.”

Weiss couldn’t fight the blush, it was so romantic it was almost cheesy. Soulmates are considered to be a piece of the person’s soul coming back to them from birth, but to hear a greeting used in archaic fairy tales, it made Weiss’ feel like a princess. The heiress wrapped her arm around Blake’s neck and whispered back, “I’ve missed you, too.” Weiss blushed even harder and buried her face in Blake’s shoulder. “It would be greatly appreciated if you stopped trying to kill me via heart attack from being so romantic, please.”

Blake grinned, “You don’t like it?”

“I’d like my face to not resemble a lobster.” Blake chuckled, laughing louder when Weiss softly hit her in the shoulder. The heiress huffed but clamed when Blake rubbed her back. “So…hi.”

“Hi.” Blake sighed and kissed behind Weiss’ ear, “You scared the shit out of me.”

“Sorry. I just got impatient. I really need to have those answers.”

Blake nodded, but something occurred to her and her heart nearly stopped. “How badly do you need them?”

“As soon as possible. If I don’t then—” Weiss cut herself off and sat straight up staring at Blake in fear. Blake really didn’t like it, but something told her that Weiss wasn’t scared of her but for her. “Um. Silly question, if you don’t mind—actually it’s probably extremely rude.”

Blake raised an eyebrow but said, “Go ahead.”

There was a lengthy silence.

“You…wouldn’t happen to have…male…genitalia, do you?”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…Are you asking me if I have a dick?” Weiss cringed and nodded slightly. “No, no I do not. Why?” The last part came out a little more shocked than Blake’s poker face would suggest.

“Because my father he—” Weiss blinked. “I never told you my name did I?”

Blake scrunched her brows together in thought before shaking her head, “Uh, actually no. Wow. We’re kind of slow on the uptake aren’t we? So…it’s a little late but…” She stuck out her hand for a shake as best she could in their position, “Blake Belladonna, nice to meet you.”

“Blake…” Weiss whispered, loving the way her name felt on her lips; like it was right. Weiss shook her hand and then frowned at bit as her eyes became dull and sad. She used her sleeve to wipe away at the make-up on her face. Blake watched, confused until Weiss sighed hard enough to shake them both and brought down her arm.

Blake’s mouth went dry and her eyes widened.

“My name is Weiss Schnee. Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company.”

Blake stared. There was a whirlpool of emotions threatening to make her dizzy. Weiss Schnee. _The_ Weiss Schnee. Blake felt like an idiot but without her trademark hair-style, casual clothes and carefully applied make up to cover her famous scar, Weiss looked like any other teen girl.

There was another silence and Weiss fidgeted, “Quite the shock, I know. I-if you’re uncomfortable…” Weiss shrank a bit and pull away. As she went to stand, Blake pulled her back down.

“No, wait. I don’t care. Sort of. I mean, you’re fine—perfect even—but this really…complicates things.”

“Yeah…My father is pushing me to produce an heir—And the media won’t be merciful I kn—”

“No, Weiss. While that does explain a lot—” Blake twitched at the memory of the negative emotions that consumed her arm in pain. “This _really_ complicates things. With…well, with you being who you are and with me being what I am…”

“What do you mean ‘what I am’?”

Blake winced and closed her eyes to focus and rein in every instinct screaming “ **DON’T DO IT. STOP. DO NOT PASS GO. ABORT, ABORT** ” Weiss deserved to know.

“You show me your scar so…it’s only fair.” Slowly she reached up and took hold of the beanie. She exhaled one more time and looked Weiss right in the eye. Slowly she pulled her hat off and revealed her secret.

Two black cat ears sitting on top of her head.

It was Weiss’ turn to stare, and Blake’s ear instinctively twitched in nervousness.

Weiss’ jaw moved but no sound came out.

Blake took it as a good sign that Weiss hadn’t bolted by now.

Weiss’ mouth and brain reconnected and she quietly mumbled, “Well…I always had a feeling that you’d be…a faunus. So I guess I shouldn’t be as surprised as I am.”

“Really?”

“In my dreams you appear to me as a large jaguar, and I’m sure there isn’t very many things that that could mean, I imagine.”

Blake opened her mouth and then closed it, “Good point.”

“My father’s head will _explode_.”

“Is it a bad thing that I’m amused by that thought?”

Weiss frowned for a second, but then again, he was rather racist and has become increasingly sickening lately. “A little.” Weiss paused. “I have another question.”

“Is it about heirs and baby batter?”

Weiss sputtered and hit Blake again who only laughed and rubbed Weiss’ back more. “No. What I mean to ask is…and please I need you to be completely honest…a-are you a member of the White Fang?” Weiss’ voice got extremely quiet at the end and Blake’s ears drooped.

The faunus took Weiss’ face in her hands and drew her into another kiss, soothing the shakes Weiss was beginning to succumb to. Blake hugged the heiress to her chest and kissed the top of her head. “Don’t interrupt okay?” Weiss nodded, way too comfortable on Blake than she really should be, “Hm, how to start…well, me and my brother are foster siblings, we both lived in a orphanage before we got adopted together. During our time there we were mistreated, while there were both human and faunus children, it slowly became apparent. It wasn’t outright racism most of the time—in hindsight I think the humans watching us just had a savior complex—but there would be slights.

Smaller portions of food, helped last, assumptions…anyway. But the human children were cruel. One day my brother had a burn mark across his face, over his eyes. I don’t know what happened, I was still so young, but I do remember the kids chortling about it. He told me it was an accident—and I wanted to believe him, maybe I fooled myself into doing so, but eventually you have to face facts.

Later on we moved to our first home, located in the south side in the town on the other side of the mountain, Harborage? It was sort of the town ghettos there, mostly faunus. A group started up, about protesting and faunus rights, it sounded good.” Weiss tensed until Blake kissed her head again, “But someone else took over and suddenly we were being encouraged to hit humans with our signs if they got too close. Then signs became clubs and sticks, and when we were being taught how to feed our families by being pick pockets and being handed pocket knives. My brother and I started to see where it was going and we got out.

“My foster father found a house closer to his business in Vale and we left. Maybe not two months later we started see the Fang up on the news taking credit for arson and vandalism. Soon…” Blake winced when Weiss’ nails dug into her skin a bit. She vaguely remembered a story on the news detailing about how a white limo in a picture next to the news anchor was torn up by a bomb. “I hate what it’s become. It used to be different, I want to be acknowledged by respect, by my merits…not acknowledged because of fear. That isn’t justice, that isn’t equality, it isn’t right. At some point I hid my ears, out of shame maybe? But…it just makes things easier, you know?” When Blake didn’t continue further, Weiss carefully sat up and saw the pained look on Blake face.

She pulled the faunus into a long, soothing kiss that made Blake see stars and wiped away any negative feelings. They parted slowly and Weiss whispered her gratitude, “Thank you, I know that recalling it must not have been fun, but you told me the whole truth when could’ve just said no. So…thanks—again. As you can imagine that bit of information is rather…crucial…and poignant.”

“I understand.” The faunus took Weiss’ left hand, the one with her mark, and intertwined their fingers.

The air hummed and their soul marks slowly brightened, emitting a soft light that mixed with the other’s, a sure sign of acceptance of each other. With their talk, Weiss and Blake felt closer, easily letting themselves be vulnerable and passing along intimate information. They were delighted to find that they could trust in their fated, something neither girl feely gave.

Blake sighed happily and stared at their hands, she kissed the back of Weiss’ and mumbled, “Come on, we got to get up. That mess won’t clean itself.” Weiss groaned but relinquished her spot on Blake’s warm lap and grabbed her hat for her. Blake hid her ears once more took Weiss left hand with her right, the glowing marks lighting up the insides of their wrists as they walked, fingers intertwined.

“No I suppose it won’t, will it ladies?”

Blake and Weiss almost had a heart attack as Glynda stood right next to the mess, along with Ozpin, the head of the library. He wore a calm face compared to Glynda’s enraged one.

“What did you two do!?” Glynda seethed.

Weiss shrunk a bit, “It was my fault. I was being impatient and almost got hurt because of it. I can pay for the damage. And we are going to clean it up.” Glynda was still angry, but at least her teeth stopped grinding, and then her eyes fell to their glowing wrists.

Ozpin’s face lit up with that infamously strange and mysterious smile, “Ah, young love. It is a wonderful thing, despite sometimes driving us to…ill-advised decisions.” Glynda rolled her eyes and touched her own mark.

Blake was still on edge though, “How much did you hear? Furthermore, are we going to be banned?” Blake cringed.

Ozpin sipped his coffee that seemed to be glued to his hand all the time, “Enough to know that you will face much adversity. But I doubt the Fates would put you two together if you couldn’t handle it. I doubt the Fates wanted to make you lives hard for kicks.” Ozpin’s eyes glanced at Weiss’ scar and Blake’s hat, “And I for one do not want to be the cause of anymore hardship. I suggest that after you clean up you leave immediately before Glynda has your heads.” He turned to leave before tipping his head to the side in thought, “And it is an oversight that just because no one is hardly ever here, does not mean that a sign for the ladders shouldn’t be placed.”

Ozpin smiled over his shoulder and bid them a good day.

Glynda rubbed her temples, “I’ll be supervising. Blake, you’re lucky that we both enjoy your patronage.” Glynda turned to Weiss, “You wouldn’t mind paying for more…sturdy and fashionably approptate tables?” Weiss shook her head and went to where she stashed her and Blake’s things, only to return with a fat roll of cash that made even Glynda stutter. “…Very well, then.”

The two soulmates quickly cleaned up the mess, setting the broken chairs and parts on the two tables. They got distracted every so often to swoon, but Glynda kept them in line. With everything handled, they got their stuff and almost bolted out the door with a quick ‘thanks’ and ‘bye’.

* * *

Yang was ready for anything when her wrist glowed once more. But she wasn’t ready for them both to glow.

Or that instead of being forced on the ground in pain, she would become overloaded this time with positive, warm feelings.

Her arms tingled but a comforting, peaceful feeling passed through her body, it immediately nixed the steaming anger she had been filled with since last night. She sunk to the floor of her bedroom and felt…perfect. It reminded her of the feeling you get when drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows on a freezing day. It was like the best day on the beach with the right amount of sun and the clear water at a temperature that complimented the strength of the sun. It was winning the championship of a sport, it was hugging a dog, it was Christmas morning.

But most of all, Yang felt like the old days when she and Ruby ate Summer’s cookies while Summer filled the house with wind chimes and joy whenever she laughed at whatever funny face or bad pun Taiyang made.

When the memory faded and Yang came back to reality she realized she was crying. She wiped away the tears, and tried her best to compose herself. However composure wasn’t forthcoming and the fact that despite the emotional connection stopping her wrists hadn’t stopped glowing.

It could only mean one thing, “So…you guys met, huh?”

Yang was happy for them, really. So much that she couldn’t help the smile on her face. However it made a rock sit in the pit of her stomach, it was a mix of jealousy, sadness, fear and to some extent, anger. Not necessarily anger at her soulmates—Yang thinks that she could never be angry at them, she doubted her father is really angry anymore, just sorrowful—but her anger stemmed from her talk with Taiyang.

Before, she would’ve been gung-ho about this, punching the air and dancing in celebration. Before, Yang might not have even considered the possibilities that her dad brought up.

Now that they had each other, did they even want her?

Was it first come, first serve?

Did they even have her mark in the first place? She could have both of theirs, but the others didn’t have hers.

Would they decide to leave her and cut the ties?

Would she be in emotional and annually physical pain like her father?

Is she going to be abandoned…?

Again?

“Damnit. Dammit, dammit, dammit! Fuck you, Dad! Argh!” She was going to punch the wall again, but her left wrist glowed the tiniest bit brighter and Yang could swear she was holding someone’s hand…or maybe they were holding hers. “That’s not fair.” She said to her left wrist, “Can’t I be angry for a little while longer?” Yang sighed and instinctively closed her hand a bit, and swore she was grabbing someone else’s.

* * *

There was absolutely no way Weiss could bring over Blake to her house. And not just because Blake could be exposed as a Faunus, but if her father even had the slightest _hint_ that she was Weiss’ true soulmate…well, he would become the business man he was and take out the competition, so to speak.

Blake wasn’t exactly keen on going over there either. For obvious reasons and the fact that their marks hadn’t stopped glowing, nor could they bring themselves to let go of each other’s hand.

So Weiss reapplied her makeup, put up her hood and let Blake lead her down a long path cutting through the woods to go to Blake’s house. The woods stopped along some empty back roads and then towards the back of a nice neighborhood.

Blake was extremely nervous about taking Weiss home. Tukson wouldn’t care too much, but Adam…he was too wild a variable. He could be protective and volatile, a horrible combination leading to quite a few fights. But she also knew Adam loved her and might not make _too_ much of a scene.

Along their walk Weiss was happy, incredibly so. But she just couldn’t shake the feeling something was missing. In actuality she knew what it was, the golden dragon on her right wrist was glowing. The light was strong enough that even through the gauze and her thick sleeve it was possible to see it. She shoved it into her pocket but nighttime was coming on fast and between the glow and Blake’s night vision she would have no choice to reveal how much of a unnatural freak she really was. She was scared—she knew that Blake would leave her. Blake had it hard enough being a Faunus, she didn’t need to be fated to a mutant.

Maybe she was being a brat, maybe she was selfish and spoiled, despite it all, Weiss just couldn’t help but to want the cold, empty air on her palm to be filled with another’s hand. She bit the inside of her cheek and squeezed Blake’s hand.

 _Fates…I_ am _a slut._

Then, to her joy—or maybe even her horror—when she clenched her right hand to rid herself of the craving, her hand got the phantom feeling that someone was holding her free hand. It was warm, and she could tell that it was a fairly large hand. That fact made her slightly hopeful and then terrible. If it was a man’s hand then her problems would be solved…however the more time she spent with Blake, the more she wanted to be by the faunus’ side.

Depending on how it played out, she knew: _I can’t be with both of them_

But when Blake squeezed back and the other wove their fingers with her, she couldn’t help but feel so damn _happy._

At the same time, Blake was having similar problems. Her mind raced on whether or not to reveal her second mark. She didn’t need to be any more of an outcast than she was—nor did Weiss need that kind of drama in her life.

From the emotional link—which still had yet to figure out past a few theories—she had a good idea of what Weiss’ father was like. Stories of his tyranny also seemed to back it up. And who pushes their daughter to rear a kid as soon as possible? For the Fates’ sake one of the first questions Weiss asked was basically ‘can you get me pregnant?’—Blake blotted out the sneaking thought that there was a ‘For my father’ at the end but it led to too many sick images.

Even so, Weiss said that the child would be the heir…and Blake couldn’t muster the courage to ask her ‘what does that make you?’ if there was a new heir, will Weiss be stripped of her status, would she leave and marry some hotshot businessman—even if she was just a girl on the side? Would Weiss’ father make sure that happened if Weiss didn’t get results because Blake couldn’t help her make a baby?

_Shit, even if I could there no way I’d let my child—one who could have faunus features—be anywhere near Eisen Fucking Schnee._

Just the possibilities of a hypothetical child made Blake want to break out in hives. She couldn’t imagine what Weiss was feeling, seeing as this _had_ to be done. No results…what does that mean for Weiss?

Blake decided she really, really didn’t want to know.

The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to stay by Weiss’ side…despite how impossible it would inevitably be. And all of this combined with the problem of Blake’s apparent second soulmate…what then?

She wished so badly that she could be the heroes she read in books and whisk Weiss away from the evil king. In the meantime, she would allow herself to be selfish and covet whatever little time she had.

Blake supposed that she’d clung to even slimmer pipe dreams than this, what’s one more?

Blake glanced at Weiss who seemed to be having her own argument in her head. Blake could practically see the gears sifting through every possibility. The faunus sighed quietly and when Weiss tightened her hold, she squeezed back in support. The heiress didn’t immediately respond, but when she did she had the silliest grin on her face.

 _I’ll find a way to make you happy, I promise._ Blake said to herself as she smiled.

Weiss looked at the faunus and her soft expression in surprise and blushed, trying to hide her face in her hood.

Blake brought her close and kissed her temple, before walking a little faster, “See that light green house? That’s mine.” They got to a few feet away from the edge of the garage before she turned to Weiss and told her to stay still against the picket fence.

Weiss saw—or more accurately, didn’t see—Blake slip effortlessly into the long shadows cast by the falling sun. It was only a minute or two before Blake seemingly teleported next to her, giving her a fright, “Fates, Blake! You scared me.”

Blake grinned, “Sorry.”

“No you’re not,”

“Yeah, not really. Your face is really cute when you’re surprised.”

Weiss huffed and stamped her foot, “If you make a habit of this, you _will_ pay.”

“Oh?”

“No kisses for you.”

Blake’s eyes widen and even through her hat, Weiss could see her ears flop to the side, “No! Anything but that! I’m sorry, I am!”

Weiss smirked and quickly stood on her toes to deliver a quick peck to Blake’s frown. “That’s better.” Weiss enjoyed Blake’s pout before she asked, “So is the coast clear?”

“Oh! Yeah it is. Let’s go!” Blake took her hand and she took her key out so when they reached the front door they slipped in without messing up their stride.

Blake sighed in relief before she bit her lip in realization.

She had brought her soulmate.

Into her house.

Her empty, empty house.

Where they were alone together.

Blake gulped and distracted herself by grabbing an apple for the each of them. “Hungry?” The faunus hoped that Weiss didn’t ask about why her voice cracked.

“Ooh, apples! They’re my favorite!” Weiss cleared her throat so she didn’t seem like such a little kid, but she did almost snatch the apple out of Blake hand and took a bite. “So…can I see your room?”

Blake nearly bit through the apple core.

After swallowing the too large portion, she nodded, “Um, yeah okay.” Blake led Weiss up the stairs. The heiress almost tripped over a step thanks to the marvelous sight of Blake’s ass in tight jeans.

Blake nervously opened the door, and ushered Weiss in. “So here it is…this is where the magic happens.” Blake wanted to hit herself with an anvil for that line.

Weiss looked around the purple painted room. There was a bed tucked in the upper right corner with a bedside table and lamp, diagonally from the door. In front and to the left were tall and almost full bookshelves, in between two of them was a slatted door to a fairly large closet—by normal people’s standard anyway. To the right next to the entrance and another door with several locks was a wooden desk with a closed laptop and various office supplies.

“This is nice.” While Blake was mentally banging her head on the wall, Weiss closed the door on habit. Blake nearly spit out her apple. Weiss went to the other door and fiddled with the locks. “What’s this?”

“Oh, uh, my brother and I share this bathroom, it has a door to each room. But he can get a little turned around at night when he’s not really awake.”

Weiss nodded in understanding but frowned, “Why four?”

“He’s a bit on the strong side, he’s a bull faunus.” Weiss nodded in understanding. “He does get his ass kicked by me every once in awhile, especially the one time he broke the doorknob’s lock by ramming into the door.”

“Seriously?”

“He had a few bruises and sprained finger but he was fine.” Weiss giggled and Blake thought it was the cutest sound in the world.

Blake finished her apple and tossed it in the small wastebasket she had in her room, “You done?” Weiss crunched into her apple and nodded, putting up one finger to request a moment, which was fine with Blake, since she got to stare at those lips. She also had to try and not blush when Weiss licked her lips.

Weiss tossed her food into the trash and sat down on Blake’s bed, leaning back. The faunus wondered if Weiss knew exactly what she was doing. Deciding to test the waters she sat down right next to her, letting their pinkies touch before their hands seemed to magnetize with the other’s. Weiss smile and kissed Blake again, trying to memorize the taste of tea and apple.

Like in the library they got closer and closer, and when Blake entered and massaged Weiss’ tongue with her own, the heiress moaned. It set something off in Blake and she tried to not seem too eager when she lowered Weiss’ hood and gently led her back until Weiss was fully on her back, head lying on the pillows. Weiss shoved off Blake’s jacket and nudged the beanie, not quite knowing where the boundaries were. Turns out she didn’t need to worry, Blake quickly threw it off and grabbed Weiss’ hands to touch her ears.

Weiss was a bit transfixed by the appendages, rubbing and scratching where the ears met soft black hair. They were velvety soft except for the occasional scar on the backs of them.

She slowed her touch when the room was filled with a rolling sound that made Blake blush all over.

“Are…are you purring?”

The faunus looked to the side and mumbled, “…Maybe.”

“You’re adorable.” Weiss cooed.

“You’re the adorable one.” Blake caught Weiss off guard and nipped just above her collarbone, victoriously smiling when her actions granted her a squeak and shiver. “See? Proof.”

“Maybe you’re the sly one.” Weiss tugged Blake down to nip at her human ear and hummed when Blake jerked her hips against her in reflex.

“N-no that’s definitely you.” Black moved up to Weiss neck and licked, and nibbled, she really wanted to leave a mark but there was no way that would fly. So she contented herself to feeling the heiress arch her back and gasp.

Fates, Weiss loved it. She loved how Blake kissed her all over, how the faunus’ weight felt on her body, how warm her lover was, the gentle way Blake’s hand pushed up her hem until it was almost past her hips.

But something felt off.

It wasn’t as warm as it should be. There wasn’t enough hands on her skin. Her tongue felt parched of a taste she knew but had forgotten. There wasn’t something solid next to her. A voice joining in that would complete the harmony.

It felt off.

It felt **wrong.**

“Weiss are you okay? Do want to stop?” Weiss opened her eyes and saw gold eyes looking down at her in worry. Blake’s soft hand wiped at tears that Weiss didn’t even know she was shedding.

She pushed at Blake’s shoulders to move her away and sat up and back against the wall, Blake was surprised, but not angry…just confused.

Weiss crossed her arms over her chest and sniffed, “I’m sorry…I.”

“Hey, hey it’s okay. We don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“No! I want to! But…!” Weiss curled more into herself and took a few shuddering breaths.

“Weiss?” There were a thousand thoughts running through Blake’s head ranging from her doing something wrong to maybe something her father might have threatened her with. She couldn’t freak out, it would make things worse so she sat and worried, waiting for Weiss to calm down.

“You deserve better.”

 _The fuck?_ Blake’s eyes crossed.

“I’m…I’m not…” Weiss sniffed and hurriedly wiped away tears. She remembered how Blake shared her past, at the very least she deserved to know Weiss’ secret. “Blake…I’m not normal. There’s something wrong with me. You shouldn’t be with a…with an abomination like me. I’m a disgrace! I’m…” Blake had to strain to hear the last two words and almost flared in anger when she heard them, “… _a slut_.”  
  
“Wha—who the hell told you that?”

“…My father.”

“Well, see, there’s the first clue that that is a pile of bullshit. You aren’t any of those things, Weiss.” Blake reached out and tried to pull Weiss’ hand from her face but she was knocked away.

“Don’t! You might catch it! I…!” Weiss looked down at her hands. “I don’t know…I don’t know…! I wanted to find some sort of answer in the library but I came up with nothing! I don’t think this can be fixed! Blake, I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”

Before Weiss could say another word, Blake wrapped her in a tight embrace. The faunus gritted her teeth as Weiss struggled, she kicked and pushed away, even punching the taller girl’s shoulders but Blake remained strong.

Eventually, Weiss gave up and hid her tears in the faunus’ shoulder. Blake rubbed her back and didn’t let go until Weiss cried herself out and the body wracking shivers faded away to stillness. Blake kissed her fated’s temple again, ignoring the whine, “Weiss…what’s going on? What the hell has you convinced that you’re any of those words your father called you?”

Weiss was quiet, and then slowly she muttered into Blake’s skin, “Because I have proof.” Weiss pulled away slightly, not out of Blake’s arms but enough to show her other arm. She pulled down the sleeve, and revealed the gauze there. Blake lifted an eyebrow but let the dejected girl continue without comment. Weiss looked up at Blake’s face and frowned sadly, it might be the last she saw of it after all.

Slowly, Weiss pulled and undid the wrap of the gauze until it fell to her lap and revealed her secret, “This is why, Blake. I’m…” Weiss started to cry again.

To say Blake was shell shocked was an understatement. Her mouth dropped and stayed there as her golden eyes were wide with surprise. There was no mistaking it, not after Blake had been staring at it for so long—  
  
—The same mark that was on her wrist.

It was a perfect copy.

The dragons, the amethyst, the suns, the golden color, even down to the shape and pattern of the scales—it was all there.

Weiss had a second mark.

The same that was tattooed on Blake’s covered wrist.

When Blake was too busy being amazed, her silence was interpreted as disgust by Weiss, “I should go.”

She left so fast Blake lost her hold of the distressed girl. She recovered in time to slam the door closed as soon as Weiss got it a few inches open. “Wait.” Weiss flinched and turned, she whimpered at Blake’s intense stare.

“Please…if you want to strike me—” Her sentence was erased by a pair of lips capturing hers, stealing her breath away. It made Weiss almost sick that she was enjoying this, she shouldn’t be. She shouldn’t want more than she already had.

“Never. Weiss I would never hurt you. Come on, look at me.” When she didn’t Blake gently grabbed her chin and turned her face so gold met teary blue. “Weiss…I’m actually very happy. I don’t think it’s a sickness or mutation or whatever but was supposed to happen. Strange as it is.” Blake paused making sure Weiss was listening, “On your marking day, you felt betrayal and this morning you were filled with anxiety and fear. You asked for help. It was so bad, Weiss. I was worried. When you told me who you were, and what your dad was like I knew I had to help you, I don’t want you to feel like that ever again.”

“H-how, no you c-couldn’t have, marks don’t do that, unless…”

“Unless…I was in the same situation.”

Blake took her hand off the door and when she was sure Weiss wasn’t going to bolt, she removed her hold on Weiss’ face. She took a small step back and took the wristband she had put on this morning.  
  
Weiss gasped and covered her mouth when the accessory fell to the floor and right there on Blake’s wrist, the very same mark.

Blue eyes kept going wildly to the mark on Blake’s eyes, her wrists, and the copy on the heiress’. Weiss kept her hands over her open mouth as she slumped heavily on the door and slid down. “You…”

“Me…”

Blake bent down and pulled Weiss into a tight embrace, glad that the tears falling now were ones of joy. “I’m…I’m normal?”

“Yes. This is what was supposed to happen. It’s just a little different, is all.” Blake kissed Weiss’ shoulder, “Everything your dad told you, about being all those things? They were lies. Nothing but disgusting lies. You’re amazing, and sensitive, smart, bold—if a bit reckless, and most of all you’re absolutely normal.”

Weiss wetly chuckled, “You’ve known me for barely a day.”

“Yet I feel like I’ve known you all my life.”

Weiss blushed hard and hid her head underneath her fated’s chin and lightly poked Blake in the stomach for every word she grumbled, “Stupid, suave, hopeless romantic.”

“So I’m the romantic one?”

“Yes, you most definitely are.”

* * *

 

Yang watched as the dark, somber blue and murky gold returned to their previous bright forms.

“Lover’s quarrel already?” Yang mumbled. She needed a shower, she was starting to stink and spilling stuff over her wasn’t helping. “Good for you! Great! It’s fucking great! Guess you don’t need me!”

The door burst open and Yang jumped high until she landed hard on her ass.

 _“Yang Xiao Long! What in the ever living_ **fuck** _are you doing!?”_

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact, Eisen never apologizes for his actions when he and Weiss talk. 
> 
> So not a lot of Yang but she'll get her spotlight next chapter. And Monochrome and angst go hand in hand I swear.


	4. Little White Lies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blake worries, Taiyang stops sucking, Weiss is stuck in a jam, and Eisen is still creepy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AFTER EONS HERE IS THE NEXT CHAPTER. NO TEARS JUST FLUFF.

Yang grunted whilst watching the marks glowed brightly. The warm hand that gripped hers stayed on her mind like velcro and she unfortunately couldn’t bring herself to be angry anymore; she was just too tired, and honestly too placated by the thought of her soulmates meeting each other. However, it was that same thought that frustrated her to no end, every disheartening possibility whispered from the darkest corner of her mind.

She needed to do something to get her mind off of this.

So after messily upending a Gatorade bottle to drink from it and getting some on her shirt, she tossed the piece of clothing away; settling for a sports bra. She lay down on the floor and ignored the marks by putting them behind her head and did some hardcore crunches.

_Up, twist, left elbow to right knee, down, breathe. Up, twist, right elbow to left knee, down, breathe._

It worked somewhat because it allowed her to focus on a rhythm she could say over and over in her head to talk over her doubts. She gradually got faster when the marks dulled and then brightened. She muttered to herself, agitated at her feelings and how she felt an intense ache in her impressive abs and outcries from her sides, but she refused to stop short of a bomb until she tired herself out.

Now, while it wasn’t exactly a bomb, Cinder’s entrance and growled question through grit teeth might have well of been. “ _Yang Xiao Long! What in the ever living **fuck** are you doing!?”_

Yang reflexively jumped high into the air thanks to the sudden fright. After landing painfully, she sat up and saw Cinder standing over her, “Fates, Cinder! What the fuck!?”

“Both you and your father are idiots. Now I wouldn’t give a damn if it was just pure idiocy, but when it starts to affect my loved ones, I’m going to do something about it.” Cinder’s golden glare narrowed. Yang frowned at her and stood up returning the look.

Yang flexed her clenched hands, “Look, I am not in the mood for our usual song and dance. Say what you mean and then get out.”

Cinder frowned, and for some reason Yang felt the slightest sliver of fear filling the cracks of her irritated mood, “Do you know where Ruby and I went today?”

Yang raised an eyebrow, “To your place right?”

“I knew you didn’t have your scroll on.” Cinder tapped an agitated rhythm on her arm as she crossed them, “It’s unlike you to not know where your sister is.” Yang bristled, the hair on her neck stood straight up and she whipped her head around for the device. She shouldered past Cinder and checked the living room until she found it sitting in the space between the couch cushions and the back support. Belatedly, she remembered throwing it in surprise as she rushed to the bathroom when she was overcome by snowflake’s disgust. The blonde didn’t even think to pick it up again.

She didn’t think about _Ruby._

A stone set in her stomach as she felt horrid for neglecting her duties as a big sister. But a new streak of anger revived and she turned to Cinder, daring her to say something as she checked her messages.

_Rutabaga (18)_

Yang scrolled through the gallery of picture depicting the new amusement park she had heard Ruby go on about before.

There Ruby was, pointing at the sign. In another picture she showed the map of the place, a few names were circled in red pen. A few shots of all the rides Ruby went on were accompanied by her distorted laughing face whilst riding a coaster.

Yang smiled for the first time that day.

But the last picture blew her calm and she sneered at the last picture of Cinder salaciously making out with Ruby, who didn’t seem to know she was being captured on camera.

“When you didn’t respond with your usual zeal, I figured you were hiding from the world.”

“I wasn’t hiding!”

“Then what were you doing? Staying in until this issue blows over with your father?”

Yang’s eyes widened in shock, “How do you know about that?”

Cinder walked up to Yang and stared her right in the eye, “Ruby told me.”

Cinder found slight enjoyment of seeing the enraged red face turn pale, but she also was vexed because she knew that she might not get her answers if Yang was reacting this easily.

The blonde seem to hesitate, “What’d she hear?” then she looked to the side and grimaced.

Cinder carefully watched her face as she spoke, “Not much.” She answered truthfully, and Yang’s face relaxed the tiniest bit, “But enough, to believe that your father did something. She thinks that he forbade you from seeing your soulmates.”

Yang scrunched her eyebrows in confusion, “What? No! It wasn’t like that.”

“He certainly feels guilty though. I visited him before I came here. His employees had forcefully shoved him in the office to do paperwork since he kept spacing out and looking like a kicked puppy.”

Yang clicked her tongue, “It’s what he does best.”

“It’s not like you have room to judge.”

“Excuse me?” Yang ignored the way her heart clenched painfully, hiding under a veil of thin rage.

“Doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you two idiots made _my_ soulmate cry.”

The veil came down and Yang stepped back, “Cry?”

“Yes. Cry, Yang!” Cinder advanced and Yang stepped back, too shocked by the thought of one the most important people in world to her crying, especially since she was the reason. “She told me she was scared.” In a lower voice Cinder added, “You two won’t even be in the same room together apparently, because you’re mad and he’s guilty. She told me what it was like, after her mother. She values her family and can’t stand to watch it fall apart! You, of all people should have been aware of this fact, Yang!”

Yang felt hollow for a moment, “Where is she?”

“At my place, with Roman and Neo. She needs a change of scenery. It’s too toxic here.”

Yang could barely argue, she saw how badly Ruby wanted to get away, but she ignored it in favor for her anger, “Okay, fine. When are you bringing her home then?”

“Who said I was bringing her back here?” Cinder turned towards the door, making it only a few steps before she was unsurprisingly turned around by a muscled arm.

“ _What!_ ” The inferno Yang was known for was building high, she felt like she could burn the house down, yet Cinder stared at her completely stoic, as if she was fireproof.

To anyone else, it would feel like Yang was trying to crack their bones, but Cinder could see the slight shake in her arm. The raven haired woman calmly grabbed Yang’s wrist and squeezed.

Yang flinched and then groaned, crying out in pain as Cinder seemed to grind her wrist bones together. The older woman twisted Yang’s arm so the palm and the underside of the rest of the arm was open to the ceiling at an awkward angle.

“You think I’m going to let my soulmate come back here? To Idiot Island at war? No.” Cinder idly waved Yang’s arm side to side, talking calmly over Yang’s groans. “Until you two straighten this out, she’s staying with me. I came to get some of her things and see if you managed to cool off yet. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case.”

Yang sputtered, trying to take her arm from Cinder’s steely grip without popping it out of socket. She also tried to think of a counterargument, she needed Ruby here…but…

Yang growled because Cinder was fucking _right._ Big sister instincts overcame her selfishness.

Even if it killed her to admit that Cinder-frickin’-Fall was right—She refused to say it out loud for the sake of her pride, and to avoid be near suffocated by the older woman’s ego taking up the air in the room.

When Yang stopped struggling, Cinder let go and made a beeline to Ruby’s room.

Yang watched sullenly as Cinder found Ruby’s backpack for school and an extra duffel bag next to Ruby’s Track and Field sports bag. Cinder ignored Yang’s presence and grabbed everything Ruby asked for.  The older woman toyed with the idea of telling Yang that it was her own idea, and that Ruby wasn’t ecstatic about it either, but didn’t really argue it either.

Ultimately, she decided against it. Yang might take it as a point to debate the issue since it wasn’t “what Ruby truly wants”. Happy-happy sunshine the Rose-Xiao Long Family may be, but when it came to fighting for what was important to them they took every advantage. Cinder thought it was cute on Ruby, since her determined face was adorable, but made the rest of them an absolute a pain in the ass.

Cinder looked back at the brooding Yang, while she would usually enjoy seeing Yang like this; under the current circumstances it just made her annoyed. She passed her and headed to the front door, aware of the lost puppy trailing behind her.

“Hey, Cinder?” All fight had gone out of Yang’s voice, “Tell her I’m sorry.”

Cinder paused for a moment, “Fine.” She made eye contact with Yang and glared, “I’m going to tell you now, if you don’t get your act together by the end of the week I’m going to come over and beat the dumb out both you and Tai.” With that, Cinder loaded up her car and left.

Yang sighed, _I hate her but…For some dumb reason, I’m kinda glad she’s Ruby’s fated._

 

* * *

 

Weiss sat in the chauffeured car and keep a neutral face, acting like she was studying the notes she took at the library. The notes themselves were short, altogether they added up to a mere 8 pages, way below what Weiss had wanted to accomplish, and hopefully her father wouldn’t mention it.

But on the inside she was bursting with unbridled happiness. It took awhile but the glow on the wrists finally died down. But the time was well spent cuddling and watching movies with Blake.

Weiss quietly sighed happily. Blake. Her mind was still stuck on her, the feel of her arms, her laugh, her embrace…and her lips.

Weiss snapped out of it and sat up, the Schnee Manor was in sight. She took her notes and shoved them in her next to the chocolate bar Blake had bought her. The faunus was worried about Weiss walking to the library by herself, but obviously Weiss couldn’t call her ride to the middle of the suburban neighborhood without raising questions. However, there was a small department store about halfway to the library, so Blake and Weiss devised an excuse if anyone asked. The story was that the library was stuffy and Weiss needed to take a walk, then she wanted a snack and walked until she came upon the store where she would be picked up from. It was easy enough to believe, especially if Weiss played up the stress of studying and deep introspection to gain sympathy.

So far, no one had questioned her, which was good since Weiss felt that her internal ball of energy would make her actions frantic and obvious.

Weiss stepped out and thanked the driver. From the garage door led right into a hallway with the living room not too far away. Weiss walked in her usual manner up to her room, but she spotted her mother and Winter talking quietly further in the mansion. The bright ball of happiness within her struggled until it felt almost as if it was bursting. So as she passed them she immediately took Winter’s hand and dragged her until the older sister got the message and both mother and daughter followed the heiress.

They quickly snuck into Weiss’ room, and then she urged them into the large walk-in closet before shutting the door and turning on the light. She looked at Tundra, then at Winter…and slowly the grin she had been suppressing broke out on her face and she let out an unladylike squeal, “I met my Fated!”

Tundra and Winter were shocked before they quickly wrapped up Weiss in a hug, just as excited as she was.

Tundra broke away first and held Weiss’ face in her hands, “Oh baby, I’m so happy for you! Tell us everything!”

Weiss nodded before looking shyly down at the floor, she swallowed in nervousness, _Sorry mother, but I can’t tell you everything…_

Weiss took a deep breath. “Well, I was in the library…and it turns out, he was there!” _Little white lies._

“What was he like?” Winter questioned.

Weiss swooned a little, “Tall, dark, mysterious. Bright eyes, a _fit_ physique, and a smooth voice. He’s just so… _guh_.” Weiss could hardly articulate just how amazing she thought Blake was.

“What’s his name?” Tundra put her hand to her chest, happy and relieved for her youngest daughter.

Weiss hesitated, “Blake…his name’s Blake.”

“We’re going to have to invite this Blake over to—”

“ _No!_ ” Weiss blurted, interrupting her mother. When the other Schnee women stared at her like she grew a second head she quickly cleared her throat, “I just…I just want a little bit of time to enjoy his company… _without_ having Father pressure him as soon as he comes in the door, like…like two regular soulmates.” The elder Schnee women exchanged glances before looking at Weiss’ pleading face.

“Okay, little sister.” Winter gave in.

“But your father will want to know about him.” Weiss’ mother warned.

“Just give me a few days.” Tundra sighed and nodded.

A smirk grew on Winter’s face, “So after you met, what’d you do? And when is the first date?”

Weiss blushed and looked away, “J-just some talking…and cuddling…”

“How forward.” Winter teased.

“S-shut up!” Tundra watched her girls, acting like two regular teenagers in a rare moment of peaceful normality.

_If only it was like this every day._

 

* * *

 

Blake was just as happy across town, but she also had her own sibling to deal with, “You’re going to break your face if you don’t stop smiling at me like that.” Blake growled, fork pointing dangerously at him.

Of course, Adam kept smiling. “Tukson!” The youngest faunus turned to the older man, searching for help from her ass of a brother.

Her hopes were dashed, “If you want to bring a girl home in private then maybe you should take a shower, the smell of vanilla is too obvious.” Tukson chuckled under his breath as Blake put down her dinner fork in order to hang her head.

“So…are you two ‘being safe’?”

“ _Adam!_ ”

“Anddd goodbye.” Tukson took his finished plate and put it into the sink before making himself very scarce, very fast.

“We didn’t even do anything!”

“Fat chance.”

“Shut up!” Blake growled and Adam snickered even louder.

“Oh man, Tukson, you should have seen her, she was swooning and almost tripped up the stairs! And then she saw me in her room and she hit the ceiling! Literally!” Blake rubbed the back of her head and smacked him on the arm.

“What are you doing in my room in the first place!?”

“I thought I smelled someone else, and I investigated. A logical choice of action.”

“You just wanted to get in my business.”

“That’s merely a perk.” Before Blake could yell at him again her asked, “So when do we get to meet her?”

The brunette paused and tried to not break out in a sweat, she still had no idea on how to tell her family that her soulmate was _the_ Weiss Schnee. Adam might have a meltdown. Tukson would be shell-shocked. Blake surmised that it just wouldn’t be pretty. “One day.” Blake scoffed, “Whenever I can convince her to sit through your ego for longer than two minutes.”

“Hey!”

 

* * *

 

Yang sat slumped on the couch, her arms crossed as she stared at Ruby’s text:

 _Nite Yang! Love you. Don’t kill dad, alright?_ _:)_

Yang rubbed her temples for what seemed to be the thousandth time that day. “Fucking Cinder.” She muttered.

The front door creaked and Taiyang came in, his movements were sluggish, and his face was the picture of emptiness as he went on auto-pilot. He did his usual routine, boots off, coat off, go to kitchen, grab a pear, and go to sit down. He only stopped once he noticed Yang there, sitting defiantly in his spot. The blond looked awkwardly around before shuffling backwards and taking a seat on the armchair.

Taiyang spared Yang a glance, only to look down when he confirmed that yes, she was still glaring at him. He took a few slow bites of his snack before calling out, “Ruby! I’m home!”

“She’s not here, Dad.”

“…Oh. She still with Cinder?”

“Cinder took her away.” Taiyang coughed and nearly choked on his bite.

“ _What!?_ ”

“Cinder didn’t want her to be around us until we ‘got our shit together’” Yang said in her vampiest voice.

“Mm…maybe she’s got a point.”

Yang grunted.

Then the two blondes sat in silence.

“…They met.”

Taiyang looked at his eldest daughter in confusion, “Who met?”

“ _Them_ ,” She raised her wrists, “I could feel it… They were so happy.”

Taiyang nodded and then slowly asked, “What are you going to do?”

“…I don’t know.”

“Yang…”

“I wish I knew. I wish you could tell me, but you’re absolute shit at that.” Yang stood up and stormed off.

Taiyang sat unmoving, and sighed, “What should I do, Summer?”

 

* * *

 

_Days later…._

The coffee was better than Weiss had expected of the small café Blake had directed her to. She had actually passed it twice before seeing a couple come from a door tucked back in a clean alleyway, it was apparently the remodeled back end of an art studio/performance space that had a completely different door on the side. The sign above the door was hand-painted and faded a tad, but still legible ‘The Back Room’.

Weiss wondered how they got any customers with how hidden and unassuming it was, but with drinks like this and the soothing, quiet atmosphere, she could see the reason it would have regular customers in its seats.

Some of the seats weren’t even actual chairs. On the dark mahogany floors sat some armchairs in front of a fireplace, couches turned to face one another over a low coffee table, bar stools off to the side of the barista bar. Low, upholstered benches covered almost the entire left wall, and a few covered booths placed in the corners. The sheets colored the dim rail lighting a soft yellow as it passed through the fabric and onto Weiss and Blake as they sat, Weiss sitting sideways in the faunus’ lap and talking quietly.

Blake put down her tea and kissed the top of Weiss’ head, hidden under the faunus’  “stolen” purple hoodie. “Does it still hurt?”

Weiss nodded, “How about you?”

Blake lifted her left hand and let Weiss undo the leather wristband to see the golden dragon slightly lit up, the amethyst orbs now red. Weiss rubbed her thumb over her fated’s mark and held it close as she put her head back under Blake’s chin.

“At least it isn’t like the other times.”

“But it _is_ constant.” Weiss and Blake sighed. For the last few days the golden tattoo had remained dimly lit with a ceaseless and annoying buzz. It did burn at first, but after an hour it nearly simmered but stayed.

It made things complicated.

The light could be smothered but there was always the fear someone would notice. Blake was sure that Adam must have, but for once he left it alone, besides randomly popping in with a glass of water filled nearly to the brim with ice. The two soulmates could feel the constant emotion of annoyance and anger, tinted with the slightest bit of hurt.

Blake and Weiss had quickly come to the realization that their soulmate was of the belief that the two girls meeting first meant that the third believed they were to be alone. Or even, that the third might not understand or approve, when taken into account the day of their marking. Such intense anger had to stem from something, and given how unusual all three’s situation was, it was logical to assume that that might very well be the cause.

Blake sighed and held Weiss a little closer, the conversation had slowed until it was silence, but the way Weiss’ blue eyes flickered in worry about the whole thing made Blake think for a second. “Hey, Weiss?”

“Hm?”

“What are they like in your dreams?” Weiss peered up before straightening up. She took Blake’s hand in her right and then shimmied the sleeve and bindings off her wrist to reveal the dragon mark. The heiress rubbed the back of her fated’s hand with her thumb while letting the faunus gently rub her knuckles on the glowing skin.

After a moment of thinking she answered. “Warmth, and freedom.”

 

* * *

 

_Everything is within reach. Everything burns._

_She lashes out but the flames her body is made of merely flicks out and sets fire to another patch of grass. Everything is red and black with soot._

_The sky is bleeding red._

_Yang hates it._

_“Aaaarrrgghh!”_

_With an anguished cry her fist breaks the barren ground. The impact thunders and sends a shockwave out, cutting through the smoke to give her a peek at the burnt woods. Yang breathes out, breathes in, smoke blows and makes her red eyes sting._

_She needs air._

_She needs space._

_She needs to be somewhere that isn’t here._

_With a mighty leap Yang takes flight, leaving a trail of flames behind to burn the oxygen behind her. She flies far. The mountains, the fields, the dessert, all of it passes below her. Yang flies into the clouds, but the cool water it’s comprised of merely hisses into smoke on her heated skin._

_Why can’t she stop burning? Yang felt as though she might just burn away by her own flames._

_Tears sting her eyes, but they too, turn into smoke._

_“Don’t cry.” She thinks but despite it a sob hits her ears._

_And then another. And another._

_But they aren’t her cries._

_Yang whips around, trying to find the direction of the source. After a moment of listening she flies north. The sobbing is louder and louder but she feels as if she isn’t getting any closer._

_“Faster!”_

_She stretches her arms behind her and creates her own thrusters, increasing her speed more and more and more and more until…_

_“Fate’s asshole it’s cold!”_

_Even with the lava hot flames her body is comprised of, the icy winds and freezing temperature hit her like a car. Her focus gone, Yang is sent careening downwards until the pure white snow catches her, sending her skidding face first for a few long seconds._

_Yang groans, she probably would have passed out there, but the sound of crying tugs on her heartstrings until she shoots up like a rocket._

_“Hello?”_

_Her voice echoes. For a moment, only the wind answers her, but then she hears it again. Yang races forward, her annoyance at the snow that hindered her progression is swiftly dealt with searing heat._

_“I’m coming! Wait for me!”_

_Like a sad siren call, the sobs continue, dragging Yang closer to the source until she arrives at a white figure, Yang would have missed it if it weren’t for the red crack over what she figured to be the person’s eye. Looking down the person is slowly being incased in rising ice, only its tears can freely move._

_“Help me. I can’t go anywhere. I’m stuck. Please.” A high, clear voice laden with tears pleaded with her._

_“I’ll get you out.”_

_Yang goes to the arms and pulls but the ice refuses to surrender. Even her flames don’t help. Yang can’t just straight out punch it; she could hurt the person inside. She tries as hard as she can but despite her notable strength the diamond hard ice refuses to budge. Yang looks back up when the figure lets out a muffled scream, the ice has risen up past their mouth and only their cracked eye is exposed. The tears travel down, freezing slowly._

_A rock settles in Yang’s stomach before she feels it burning. Hotter and hotter, the cold air hisses when it meets Yang’s glowing golden hair._

_“No. I’m not losing anyone. Not anymore!”_

_Her flame body turns from vibrant red to potent blue and finally, bright white. With a yell the flames expand and explode heating and destroying the winter landscape until she’s standing in a green field, a large root towers above her, stretching from a stories-tall apple tree._

_Her body is solid, human._

_Yang looks at her hands and then up at the newly freed white figure. She swore it giggled before it hugged her._

_The hug was cold, but in no way unpleasant._

_As soon as she returned the hug, the white figure backs off and gives Yang a red apple it seemed to pull from out of the air._

_There’s already a bite taken out of it._

_Yang doesn’t get any more time to think about it when the figure drags her down to a sandy ditch spanning farther than Yang could comprehend. The figure tugs her out over the hole and steps on the air, with a little bit of faith, Yang follows._

_About twenty steps in the figure turns around and looks at Yang, a featureless smile on its face. On its toes it raises up to kiss Yang on the cheek before sinking. The blonde could barely react before the figure melted into a new ocean._

_“Hey! Wait!”_

_She stood on the water as easily as one stands on the sidewalk. She looked around the water until a circle of bubbles broke the surface not too far from her._

_Yang splashes over and reaches into the dark, thick ocean, blindly reaching for anything._

_The water just seemed to get darker and darker._

_But Yang’s determination grew, and suddenly her hair glowed once more, as bright as the sun. Yang reached up and clasped her hands together before yelling once more and hammered the surface of the water._

_And just like that, everything cleared._

_The water, the building gray clouds, the fear, the dread._ Everything _._

_The crystal clear water revealed coral and fish, all a rainbow of colors. As pretty as it was it wasn’t what Yang was looking for._

_After a few seconds of frantic searching, there was a black shadow reaching out, sinking deeper and deeper._

_Yang didn’t waste a second and dived in, swimming as easily as she flew. Her hand stretched out and grasped the shadows before Yang lifted them both out of the water._

_The sand was cool and soft, a nice place to relax after being in the water. The shadow seemed to think so too, splayed out as it was next to her, their fingers intertwining. Yang sighed contently before looking back at the impressive tree._

_“Hey, wanna go to the apple tree?”_

* * *

 

Yang’s eyes opened at the knock at her door, she sighed and checked her scroll. It was almost noon. The blonde groaned. She had The Dream again. It was nice, but felt almost mocking now. The knock came again and the blonde lowered her head, there was only one person it could be. “What, Dad?” She rubbed her face with one hand.

“Can I come in, hothead?” Taiyang sounded a little more put together than he had been the last few days. Curious, Yang opened the door to see her dad holding a large box.

"What’s that?”

Taiyang grunted and set it down before sitting down on the bed. He breathed deeply, and thought about his words, “Can you sit down?” Yang stared. “Please?” She sighed and sat begrudgingly next to him. He nervously patted his knees and jiggled his leg before finally starting. “I’m sorry.”

Yang rolled her eyes, he had been saying that all week.

“I really, really am. I…I shouldn’t have lied. I did what I did because I thought it’d be easier for everyone involved—but it wasn’t. It was just me being selfish.” This time, Yang actually turned towards him and listened. He had said ‘I’m sorry’ so many times, but this was different. It wasn’t him just feeling sorry for himself or saying it on reflex. “I knew about it, but I just wanted to forget it, I didn’t really think about how you would react to it. It was hard yeah, but…you deserve to know. Everything. So…ask anything, and I’ll answer if I can.” He opened the flaps of the box he brought in and pulled out a picture and a paper.

Yang looked at him before carefully taking it. On there was her mother.

Her biological mother.

Yang had spent countless hours looking at her reflection wondering, ‘what does she look like’ and now that the answer was in front of her she could hardly believe it. She dreamt up possibilities but they couldn’t compare to the hard evidence.

Yang’s fingers traced Raven’s face, she was smiling wide at Taiyang while she was standing in front of the Beacon university doors. Her father coughed nervously, “She uh, Raven never smiles usually, or like, small smiles. But we were graduating the next day and everything and we were both so happy. This…this is my favorite picture of her.”

Yang watched her father get lost in memories he had hidden away from himself. She looked at him and then down at the picture, mentally breaking down what she got from them.

In general, Yang inherited her Mom’s body and Taiyang’s color palette. There were slight differences here and there, like how Raven seemed a bit slimmer than her curvy and built frame. Raven’s eyes were a touch sharper than Yangs, it seemed she got her father’s rounder eyeshape along with his broader shoulders. Yang was in between them in terms of skin shade, she was darker than Raven’s pale self, but lighter than Taiyang’s native Patch bronze. Even Yang’s beloved hair seemed to be the perfect blend of the two. She had Raven’s length and thickness with Taiyang’s color and curl.

After looking at the picture for another minute she carefully set it aside and inspected the paper that was rolled up and held with a thin black string. As she undid the complex knot, Taiyang explained. “Raven was…kind of artsy. The paper she made herself from—shit what was it?—some kind of fruit tree from her hometown in southeast Vytal? She liked to paint and was kinda traditional. She made most of her own supplies, the paint I think she bought from a naturalist store though.”

The younger blonde gasped as she saw a trophy gold dragon curling through the skies, its eyes matched Taiyang’s , it followed a large black bird in the foreground, looking inexplicably graceful while the dragon looked wild and free. Yang noted how the out lines were in thick bold strokes that diminished like olden horse paintbrushes did, and all the detail work inside was done in vivid color. Each dragon scale was separated by a thin orange line that faded into a tawny brown near the tail. The raven was dark of course, but one could pick out every feather due to the careful line-work and shading of silver and lighter black bringing it to life.

“She…drew this?”

“Yeah. After our marking she painted out the dragon body that made up my mark and gave it a head and personality. I was dragged to an art gallery by some of my friends because of an assignment to ‘culture ourselves’ and this painting was there. I uh, may have…made a bit of a scene yelling for the artist before she got super annoyed and came out of the back to punch me in the face.”

There was a beat before Yang broke out laughing. “Oh my Fates! I can so totally see you doing that!” Taiyang rolled his eyes before shortly joining in. It was the first time in days that laughter had graced the house.    

When the two blondes could breathe again, Yang wrapped the picture gently and tied it closed. She looked at the rest of the box, “What else is in there.”

“Oh just, some of her stuff she left behind.” Taiyang reached in and pulled out a few things, “Some clothes, some handmade bowls, books, a couple other paintings…and a collapsible sword.”

“A _sword?_ ”

Taiyang pulled out a black sheathe holding a red blade with a black and red handle. “She was in a few sports, like kendo. I mean, Yang—she knocked me out with one hit, one! I was seeing stars out of the corner of my eyes for an hour!” he chuckled and shook his head before tucking the sword away and into the box. “I was with her for almost three years.”

Yang’s jaw dropped, forgetting that Raven wasn’t a one night stand, but a soulmate. It made sense that he was with her for so long. “Dad, you said Summer got Raven’s mark first?”

“Late bloomer. Than a few years later she gets a second. It was a strange situation for everybody.” Taiyang stood up to reach deep in the box for a small black shoebox. He opened it and passed it to Yang, revealing a pile of photos with him, Raven, and occasionally Qrow.

Yang nodded. She slowly went over every bent and worn printed memory, stories and questions were easily given to her by a sentimental Taiyang, who seemed to be happier than he had in awhile.

After laughing at a picture of the Branwen twins covered in various foods from a squabble turned food fight, Yang caught her breath and smiled softly. She leaned her head on Taiyang’s shoulder and stubbornly wiped away tears.

Taiyang sighed deeply and started to gently pet her hair, “I projected my fears and experiences onto you without being fair or truthful. You have the opportunity to be better than the last generation, which is the whole point of being a father. I failed you, I messed up, been messing up for all your life really but…go get that little slice of happiness and make memories like these.” He tapped at the shoebox. “You can have these if you want, I…don’t have too much use for ‘em.” He hesitated before slowly pointing to the picture of Raven in front of Beacon, “Except that one. I don’t think I can let that go.” Yang smiled a little wider and gave the picture to him after one last look.

A comfortable silence surrounded them before Yang asked in a shaky voice, “Dad…why did she leave?”

Taiyang paused and hugged her a little harder. “I don’t know hothead. I really don’t.”

The younger blonde was silent before nodding, “Alright.”

He looked at her like she grew a second head, “Alright?”

“I mean…it’s not _okay_ , but I forgive you. I may not ever get the reason, but…this,” She gestured to the box, “I think, that just something…some concrete proof of her as a person, just…” Yang sniffed and kept going through her emotions, “This is all I ever wanted in the first place.”

Yang’s lilac eyes closed and she let herself cry the tears of confusion, hatred, and the ever-present feelings of displacement and rejection wash away.

 

* * *

 

Weiss was in her room, the sun had long since set and she was reading more reports from her father. Financial, mechanical, just basic review and it was _boring_. Not to say anything of the papers that spelled out the rules for marriage, inheritance, and how to properly partner with a company.

She felt compelled to burn it.

As she was pondering, the only source of light that came from a reading lamp went from dim to shining and bright. Weiss gasped and looked at her right arm where the dragon mark was hidden. Even through the gauze and sleeve gold and purple erupted. Weiss hurriedly freed the bindings and was knocked back by the strength of the light. The dim reading lamp flickered before surrendering and shutting off, allowing the mix of gold, and purple to paint the room in a miniature aurora.

Weiss instantly noticed the needles and burning from the mark had vanished, instead a soft feeling replaced it, making her skin forget all about the negative, uncomfortable sensation. Weiss heartbeat became fast as third party emotion welled up inside her.

_Belonging_

_Happiness_

“S-strong…!” Weiss grunted. She held her arm as the warm feelings passed over every centimeter of her body. She closed her eyes to focus on reigning in the emotions before they overwhelmed her.

In the dark created by her eyelids, lights bloomed. At first it was just white but then a blurry image materialized. Weiss could just barely make out a painting of a dragon and the tear stained face of an older man with kind eyes.

 _And I'd give up forever to touch you_  
_'Cause I know that you feel me somehow_  
_You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be_  
_And I don't wanna go home right now_

Weiss gasped as the she flew back into consciousness. She stood on unsteady legs and held the chair for support as she reached for her scroll, the personalized ringtone giving away who it was.

**Weiss, you ok?**

_Yeah, you felt that too?_

**Uh-huh. Relief and contentedness.**

_I felt belonging and happiness. Does this mean whatever was bothering our fated finally was resolved?_

**I think so. We’re still on for that picnic tomorrow, right?**

_Of course._

**We’ll talk more about it then.**

_Love you._

**Love you too <3**

Weiss sighed and sagged in her chair. The dragon mark was still glowing, but it was dimmer and stable.

 

* * *

 

Eisen watched with great amusement as his youngest daughter double checked her list.

On the large kitchen’s island sat a humble wicker basket with a red and white plaid blanket. Beside it was a medium size cooler filled with ice to battle the blazing heat of the day.

“Tuna sandwich, BLT, ham & cheese, vegetarian, party platter…chocolate covered strawberries…” Weiss blushed at that one, “beverages and a full pack of water.”

“Going somewhere?”

Weiss jumped and whirled around, “Oh! Father! Yes, I uh, um.” The heiress took a breath to calm her frantic heart. She had somewhat reluctantly told her father about meeting Blake—not that she gave him too much information anyhow—but he seemed to watch her even more intensely. “Yes, me and my Fated have a…back-to-nature sort of date planned.”

“Back to nature?”

“A picnic in a private park. No scrolls, no beepers, no electronics, just…us.” Eisen frowned, “He had come up with it after an underling kept calling him about the simplest of things and just wanted a break.” Eisen nodded, more receptive to the idea since his future son-in-law suggested it.

Weiss hid her scowl.

“So, you’re going to charm the man through his stomach, huh? Why didn’t you have our chefs prepare lunch?”

“Oh, I just wanted to make it special, from the heart as they say.”

Eisen nodded sagely before walking up and looking at the meal. “Why all the sandwiches?”

“I wasn’t too sure of what he liked, so I thought this would be a nice opportunity to find out, and I got a bit carried away.” At least that part was true.

“Ah, young love. I’m sure your mother’s told you about how I offered to build a stage and theater, all for her.” The CEO reminisced for a moment before looking back at his daughter, “Speaking of young love…” Weiss inwardly cringed. “How receptive was he when you talked about children? ...You did talk about the future of the company, correct?”

Weiss subtly swallowed and stood up straight, “He wasn’t opposed…” She lied.

Eisen’s face darkened, “But?” he nearly growled.

“But…he said he wanted to be more prepared.”

“How so?” Weiss was sure she could cut stone with the steel in his voice.

“He will be handed the reins of his publishing company soon enough, but with how busy things are now, he thought that he wouldn’t be a good father, so he wants to be the CEO for a year or two and get…settled in. Buy our own house, lakeside with a garden maybe,  and for us to paint the baby’s room together, college fund already prepared, that sort of thing.” Weiss sold it with the dreamiest voice she could, like she had had this talk many a time.

Surprisingly, when Weiss told him the cover story for first time she was expecting him to reject the idea of Blake ‘inheriting a publishing company’ but he then muttered about a door to the paper industry and access to many famous writers while adding up the possibilities in his mind. Thank the Fates that Blake loves books so much she blabbered on about some of them enough that Weiss could really sell it by naming some of the books ‘he’ has read, from history to science, to romance and fantasy. It made the fabricated Fated sound intelligent and rounded out, and this contributed to Eisen’s ‘blessing’ as he called it. 

Eisen chuckled, “My, your fated is such a romantic. I understand, I do. But you have something that your mother and I didn’t have.”

“Oh, what’s that?”

“Me.”

Weiss pursed her lips for a second, thinking about how true that was, for Eisen was hardly ever home.

The CEO threw his arm around Weiss’ shoulders, “Imagine this dear, you and him, working hard, while I watch the little one. The pitter-patter of little feet will ring once more in the Schnee manor. Who knows, maybe it’ll grow up to be just like me.”

 _Oh, **Hell** No._  

“That’s…generous of you, father. I’ll talk it over with him.” Weiss turned back to the basket and straightened out the already perfectly set up food. She walked away to grab a few apples and slipped them in.

“That reminds me… when am I going to meet him?”

Weiss froze, her mouth went dry. Her body broke into slight shakes and she hid her hands in her blue sundress. “Well…you are a…intimidating man. He wants to be in perfect form when he meets you.”

“Oh, I insist. How about a few days from now we have dinner it’ll—”

Weiss thanked the Fates as her scroll rung she snapped it up like a snake and answered, “Hello, Weiss Schnee speaking.”

“ _Oh Hello Miss Schnee! Your apple pie you requested is ready.”_

“Really? Okay, I’ll be by to pick it up.”

“ _The Patch apples were a perfect choice.”_

“Well, I knew the East Mistralian ones were already out of season so…”

_“You’ve got quite the knowledge about apples.”_

“They’re my favorite. Anyway, I’ll be by within the hour.” Weiss said her goodbyes and closed her scroll.

Eisen raised an eyebrow, “I thought you were about homemade cooking?”

“He mentioned apples pie just last night, so I also decided to show off. The bakery in the town over has international recipes and ingredients. When I get back I’ll learn how to make apple pie on my own.”

“The perfect wife. He’s a lucky man.” Weiss nodded and said farewells and took her cargo with the help of a butler to her car and put it in the back.

 

* * *

 

Weiss was smiling all the way up to the bakery. Even though she had to hide her features with makeup and wrapped her marks, even had to wear a light bolero to make sure no one got suspicious, it was a lovely day and it was a nice ride, plus she got to see Blake.

Then she got to the bakery.

Low life paparazzi surrounded the building, their dirty cars were so piled in front that Weiss had to park half a block away. Her trademark scowl was back on her face in a flash. She grumbled to herself while making sure the fact that she had her marks was completely hidden away.

She got out, and begun the trudge.

Her new car stuck out like white against black which already had some media hounds come running. They crowded and flashed cameras in her face; everyone shouted and hollered, hoping for an answer to her father’s crimes or for her to simply react.

“What do you think of the collapse in the black hills, that mine cost a lot of money!”

“Is it true your father is with the mob?”

“Have the White Fang threatened you recently?”

“Is it true that your sister hired hookers to her room?”

Weiss almost laughed but kept her frosty demeanor, “No comment.”

A gray-haired man who couldn’t be much older than her with a camera stepped right in front of her, “The story is, you got your mark. Are you fated to a Faunus? How does daddy feel?” His smirk was so scummy and slick she bristled.

Fear and anger bloomed in Weiss’ chest, she didn’t know how he may have come across information that lead to those questions, but she’s had enough, “None of that is true, now if you’ll excuse me, I have better things to do than being a gossipy roach who pokes around in other people lives! _Move_.”

Weiss shouldered past him, ignoring his shocked expression.

She finally reached the doors and closed them as quickly as she could. When she got to the front desk she asked the owner who was as thrilled with the paparazzi as she was, “How and why are the damn media here?”

“Someone over heard your name on the call with one of my employees.” He looked behind him and a young teen vanished from peering out the window. “I apologize Miss Schnee.”

Weiss sighed, “Not your fault. But I hope that when you have high profile clientele you’ll be a little more discreet.”

“No kidding.” The man glared and managed to cause the herd to back up a step. “Here is your purchase, we hope for your continued patronage.” The pie was in a sturdy box with a handle on it. The owner followed, and opened the door for Weiss. With her icy glare and his deep scowl the paparazzi stepped back, most of them already scurrying out of there like the insects they were.

Weiss thanked the man once more and made it into her car. It was a simple matter of keys into the ignition and she was off. On the way she saw that gray-haired roach as she was turning to the next street.

The little roach had the audacity to smirk at her.

And so, in response Weiss made an obscene gesture and enjoyed his offended glare.

A few blocks later and Weiss saw a traffic jam.  Caused by a collision, the drivers were okay, but the cars were not. The heiress sighed and parked in a nearby parking lot while pulling up a map on her scroll. Weiss frowned when all the routes would take her out of the way and nearly an hour and a half to get back. “Come on, there’s got to be another way.” After staring and flicking through the maps’ function route planner, she found a nice little highway. It wrapped around the mountains but it could get her back into Vale within half an hour. “Hmph, there. Why wasn’t this suggested in the first place?”

 

333

 

Route 3, it took a few uphill climbs but she was on a completely empty street otherwise. It was just Weiss and the road. This high she could see the bustling city of Vale just past the forest in the afternoon sun.

Or, she could until a dark cloud seeped into her vision.

“What the…?” Weiss saw the warning light on the dashboard signifying that the car was overheating, and the black clouds rising from the hood got bigger and darker.

She coughed as some of the heated and foul air slipped through the open window. Weiss had no choice but to pull over to the right on the sandy shoulder on the side of the road meant for sight-seeing.

Weiss jumped out and coughed up a storm while waving her arm in front of her face. She reached to lift the hood up only to practically burn her fingers. Between the overheated engine, the high temperature, and the blazing heat bouncing off the asphalt, the car might have well of been a red hot coal.

“Dammit!” She stomped her foot and rubbed her temples, a massive headache building up. She reached for her scroll and opened her contacts, her platinum insurance could tow the car and she could have her chauffer pick her up. And she definitely had to tell Blake she’d be a little late.

Weiss hit the call button and put the scroll to her ear only for big red words to pop up.

**_NO SERVICE_ **

“What?” Weiss tried again, but to no avail. She paced and held her scroll high in the air, hoping for even one bar, but the message sat on the screen, mocking her. “Why did this have to happen _today?_ ”  Weiss stomped her foot and turned to stare balefully at the car. After a moment she simply settled for gently hitting her forehead on the back window.

She wallowed a bit more until a roar filled the air. Weiss instantly straightened up and whipped her head side to side, looking for the source. The roar bellowed and stayed as a fearsome growl before bellowing again…and Weiss started to realize that the growl was headed her way. The heiress started wracking her brain for anything that could be used as a weapon but her panicky state did her no favors.

Through the gaps of the trees, Weiss could see something flashing in between, a figure of yellow and black. The roar was so loud it thrummed in Weiss’ chest, making heartbeat pale in comparison.

The beast zoomed past in a dust cloud and fire before a ear-splitting screech made Weiss cover her ears and close her eyes. She slowly opened one eye to see the front of a yellow custom motorcycle and a rider with a matching helmet on. Aviator sunglasses reflected the descending sun with a gleam and the long dark skid marks from the sharp but controlled spin.

The motorcycle revved up again and it came forward, creeping in at a more sedate pace, but Weiss still pressed into her car nonetheless.

The rider stopped and turned off the beast before dismounting, and the first thing Weiss noticed was how _tall_ the person was, not to mention the broad shoulders and muscular frame hidden by a leather crop jacket and tight yellow undershirt, which was riding up revealing a hint of an Adonis belt. Simple blue jeans covered in spots of black grease, a light purple bandana tied just below the knee, rider gloves, and brown boots completed the rebellious look. Weiss felt her mouth go dry, if she wasn’t so scared she’d spend a while just looking.

The rider then took off the yellow helmet with flair, long blonde locks fell without a hint of helmet hair. The aviators were removed and Weiss found herself staring into soft lavender eyes.

“Hey there, need some help?”

“I, uh…well…” Weiss cleared her throat and straightened up to make it seem as if she wasn’t just ogling the fit stranger, “T-that would be nice.” A blush easily settled over her features and it made the taller woman grin a bit.

“Well, it’s your lucky day.”

Weiss couldn’t help the scoff, “Oh, really now?” Both of them looked at the dark smoke rising from the edges of the closed hood. “Are you a miracle worker?”

The biker laughed, “I’m no miracle worker, but I _am_ a mechanic.” A tanned hand was offered, “The name’s Yang.”

Weiss couldn’t believe her how her luck flipped so easily, “Weiss. Nice to meet you.” The heiress shook hands with Yang, noting how small her hand was in comparison, but it felt nice.

Yang was having similar thoughts. It was just an impulse to get some high speed action on the mostly empty route with a beacon of white, and some black smoke caught her eye. She wasn’t one to leave someone hanging like that so she came back. Yang wasn’t expecting a beauty that seemed to be made of new fallen snow and had glacier blue eyes

“Hm, for a little lady you’ve got a strong grip.”

“My father says a strong handshake is the first step to a strong presence.” Yang grinned and Weiss couldn’t completely smother her own small smile.

“Well, how about we take a look in here. Nice ride by the way, weren’t these the new models that came out a few months ago?” Yang felt the smooth siding of the snow white car and the sheen that came off it.

“Is it? It was a gift, I’m afraid I don’t know much about cars.” Weiss followed and tried not to… _admire_ the mechanic’s backside. She wondered who’s was better, Blake or Yang’s? “Oh! That’s right! Can I borrow your scroll? I’ve been trying to call for help but my scroll must be malfunctioning or something because—”

“You can’t get a signal?”   

“Yes! I don’t know what’s wrong with it.”

Yang offered a small sympathetic smile, “You _do_ know that we’re smack dab in the middle of a dead zone, right?”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s the main reason this road is so empty.” Yang pointed across the street, “That forest there has endangered species, it also brought a lot of animal enthusiasts so it became like a tourist destination, it’s protected from any construction, not to mention the _huge_ river cutting in the middle of it.” Then, Yang pointed on the other side of the guardrail on the side the car was parked on. “That mountain is uneven and really steep that getting any equipment up there would be hard and extremely dangerous, and behind the mountain is a ravine that wouldn’t offer much signal anyway. So…this place has no towers.”

Weiss stared at the mechanic, slackjawed. Yang thought it was cute, “So why are you on this road?” Weiss sputtered, trying to regain her composure.

“It’s a nice shortcut, and it’s the perfect place to speed on my bike without anyone in the way. Police don’t come up here either since no one’s on it.” Yang shrugged. She turned and stood in front of the grill of the overheated car, “Can you open the roof?”  The heiress stood beside her and pulled out her fob, having learned her lesson from last the last time she tried, hitting the correct button.

Yang had expected some heat, but when the first few inches popped open she felt a boiling hot blast of air that had nothing to do with the hot day, followed by a plume of smoke. She reacted quickly and wrapped her strong arms around Weiss’ waist before pulling her away before the billowing black smoke engulfed them both.

Weiss coughed as the putrid smell of smoke and gasoline surrounded her, and she was glad that with how close she was standing she didn’t get caught in it. After waving the air in front of her to dilute the smell, she realized that she was easily held princess-style by the blonde who didn’t seem as bothered by the intense heat.

Yang frowned, “Well, looks like we’re going to be here awhile.”

Weiss’ eyes got wide and she sharply looked up at the blonde, “What!?”

“There’s no way I can fix it until the engine cools down, I carry my work gloves, but that’s way too hot.” Weiss stared at the practically black inside of the car and sighed.

“Dammit.” She groaned. “How long do you think it’ll take?”

“Well…I’d say two hours, at least.” Seeing those blue eyes grow wider, Yang quickly added, “Unless you have ice or something to pour over it?”

Weiss remembered her list, “Actually, I do have a pack of water bottles.”

“You do? That’s perfect then!”

After a beat passed,  Weiss pointed at the ground, “I kind of need you to put me down though.”

Yang blinked and then blushed, a sight that the smaller woman giggled at. Yang sputtered, “Oh! Right, sorry! You’re, um, kind of light, so I forgot.” She gently lowered her to the ground and rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. She had honestly forgotten about holding Weiss’ small body in her arms, it just seemed natural.

The heiress flattened out her dress and suppressed her own blush. She went over to the trunk and pressed the button on the fob to open it, meanwhile, she tried to not think of Yang’s muscle or how soft her skin was or how Yang’s hand tucked under her legs felt warm and electric... After ripping open the pack, she handed Yang a few and held some more under her arm in case it was necessary. The mechanic urged her back a step and started to pour the water over the overheated engine.

It took about six water bottles before Yang was satisfied. It’d still take a bit but not as long as if they had left it alone. “Welp, nothing to do but wait.” She leaned against the car and looked over at the slowly descending sun through the treetops

Weiss groaned and stood next to her. “And the day was going so well, I’m going to be so late.”

“What were you doing out here anyways?”

“There was a collision in the next town. I had just picked up a pie and was bringing it back to Vale so I could have a picnic with my Fated.” Weiss looked up to the sky and groaned, missing the flash of conflicted emotions from Yang, “It took some serious rearranging to get today free on my schedule, and we were going to have a nice secluded date—and then _this_ had to happen.” Weiss pouted.

“I’m sorry, Weiss—” She would have said more but her stomach growled embarrassingly loud. The heiress stopped sulking to giggle, which caused the taller woman to blush.

Looking back at the trunk, Weiss made a decision, “Um, Yang, do you maybe…want to eat with me?”

Yang’s head whipped her way and a smile almost overtook her face until she remembered, “I—I can’t, I mean I’d like to…b-but isn’t that for your soulmate? I couldn’t—that’d be…rude.”

Weiss turned to her and set her hands on her hips, chin up, “I wouldn’t have asked if it wasn’t okay.”

“…But—”

“Nope! I worked hard to make this food and I won’t let it go to waste. At this point I’m late and I’m obviously not going to get down there soon,” She gestured at the car, “So, as repayment for your kindness and services, you’re eating.” Weiss crossed her arms and lifted her eyebrows, waiting for Yang’s response.

The mechanic laughed through her nose and shook her head, “Well…can’t argue with that.” Weiss smiled victoriously and went to fetch the basket, Yang trailing behind her.

Opening the lid, she retrieved the picnic blanket she had packed, she was going to simply set it aside, but Yang took it from her and after looking around, the blonde shrugged and spread it out over the roof of the cab. Weiss sent her a questioning look, but supposed that it was a good alternative to sitting on the sand. She put the basket to the far right and put her hands on the car, judging the best way to get up there.

“Here, let me help. Just turn around for me.”

When Weiss was facing the mechanic, Yang gently put her hands on either side of Weiss’ waist and hoisted her up without even a grunt of effort. Weiss squeaked and held onto Yang’s arms, incredibly aware of the muscles moving under her grip. Then with Yang’s hands on the cab she hoisted herself up and into the roof, sitting so Weiss was to her left, in between her and the picnic basket.

“How is it that you can lift me so easily like that?” Weiss said blushing slightly and ignoring the lingering sensation of Yang’s warm hands on her body.

“Mechanic. Comes with the territory; lifting machines, equipment, parts, and I’ve always been a bit of a gym rat.” She flexed with the cheesiest grin on her face. Weiss watched a bit too eagerly as those impressive biceps moved. To distract herself, she opened the basket and started to retrieve a few sandwiches.

“Then I imagine you’d like a BLT.”

“Would I!?” Yang put out her hands and eagerly waited for the sandwich. As soon as it was in her clutches she started devouring it. “This is good!”

“Thank you.”

They ate in silence and watched as the sun was lowering down onto the forest, painting the sky in hues of red, orange, pink, and purple. Yang had managed to eat through all the rest of the sandwiches except the vegetarian which Weiss had placed dibs on. Now they had set the party platter in between them, a plastic fork Weiss had packed in their hands.

Weiss watched as the carrots, strawberries and grapes were disappearing at a fast pace, “How can you eat so much?”

Yang turned to her with a questioning look before actually looking at the half-demolished container. She nervously laughed, “Oh…well—I mean, everyone in my family’s got a high metabolism, and we’re pretty active on top of that. My dad owns the family auto-shop, but my lil’ sister is probably the worst, she runs track in school and no matter how big the pile of cookies she eats she never gains a pound that isn’t muscle.”

“Cookies?”

“Shit-tons of cookies. What about you? What’s your family like?”

Weiss hummed in thought for a moment, swallowing her piece of pineapple, “Well, my sister is in the army, she’s the number one specialist and basically the go-to person for the General.” Weiss proudly smiled and Yang could see the obvious affection in her eyes, “My mother is beautiful and was a singer. She’s retired now, but every once in a while she’ll be a special guest for events.”

“Cool~” Yang said in awe. “Can you sing?”

“Of course. I can do opera, even.” Yang smiled, her prideful tone was just so cute.

“What about your dad?” At that, Weiss’ smile soured into a deep frown, her sparkling eyes turning hollow for a minute. The change happened so fast, Yang felt as if she just got whiplash. Yang grimaced, “That bad?”

Weiss wanted to defend him—should have at least—but then she remembered his behavior on her Day of Marking, and Yang just seemed to relax her a bit. Besides, she figured she’d never see her again, so she thought, _Why not?_

“He—He’s such a—a, just! Ugh!”

Yang did not know it was possible to bite into a baby carrot with such vehemence.

“As of late, his expectations of me, they’ve pretty much morphed into him mapping out my future! In excruciating detail! And ever since the day I got my mark he’s been overbearing and cynical. If everything doesn’t go according to _his_ plans…” Weiss’ voice became very quiet, “Who knows what could happen to me.”

A cold feeling set in Yang’s stomach, “Do you mind me asking why?”

Weiss looked at Yang’s gentle and open face and then took a deep breath, “My dad owns a company. He’s a very rich and powerful man. He’s also a control freak. I’m next in line to inherit the company, but when I got my mark, he’s been a lot more open with his _ideas_.”

“Like what?”

“He expects—no, _demands_ that my Fated be a rich, aristocratic boy who can give him an heir as soon as possible. Hell, he probably expects me to be pregnant the night of our marriage.”

Yang practically choked on the apple slice she was eating, “What!?”

“He told me to my face that if my Fated wasn’t up to par he’d just give me to someone else.”

“What!? B-But what about destiny? The Fates?”

Weiss looked Yang straight in the eye, “This is a man that has a huge ego with the money to back it up. I swear he would probably attempt to bribe the Fates if he could. He makes me feel like I’m stuck with nowhere to go! I have to lie to him to constantly get him off my back, if he ever met Blake, or even knew about her, he’d go ballistic!”

The loudest silence reined for a long moment before Yang asked, “‘Her’?”

Weiss went breathless and covered her mouth with both hands. She had been so wrapped up in her feelings her tongue slipped.

When Yang and her family lived on Patch, it was right in the middle of a forest, she’s seen prey face predator before trying to escape. And right now, Weiss was shaking like a leaf, her ice blue eyes wide in fear, she looked so small and fragile that Yang thought that Weiss would either run away right then and there or break like porcelain.

A strong urge overcame Yang. She moved the empty plastic party platter and pulled Weiss to her side. Weiss struggled for only a moment, but calmed as Yang shushed her and gently rubbed her arm. Softly Yang told her, “It’s okay I won’t say anything.”

“…Thank you.” Weiss whispered. Yang couldn’t help but wonder what else the bastard had done if Weiss was this afraid.

As Yang tucked the smaller woman’s head under hers, she missed Weiss unconsciously touch her left eye.

The heiress was grateful that Yang didn’t pry further.

“Dads…Dads suck. I think I know how you feel, at least a little bit.” Weiss frowned a bit and looked Yang in the eyes, searching for pity, about to scathingly come down on Yang if she was just offering empty words…but there was true hurt there. And such deep sadness.

“He’s…not as bad as yours but he’s still kinda shitty when it comes to some things. Heh, my Dad…he’s a good guy, really. But he’s a liar. He lied to me my whole life.”Yang’s body got warm in response to her anger, and Weiss could hear the familiar undertone of pain. “I found out recently that he had been hiding information from me about… something that I’ve always wanted to know. About something _extremely_ important to me.” A hollow laugh, “He never talks. At least, not about the important things. Never. He just shuts down. Once, for months he was just a shell of himself, he hardly ate, hardly moved, all he did was sit there and drank. Me and my sis were really young at the time too. If he had told me from the beginning, I…wouldn’t have almost gotten my sister and I killed during then.” Weiss pursed her lips, questions were on the tip of her tongue but the distant look in Yang’s eye made her unsure that she truly wanted to know. And so, she returned the favor by not asking exactly what it was Yang was searching for. She settled for getting a bit closer, “He also has a shit sense of timing, telling me life changing info at what was supposed to be a happy time. We argued, I punched him, it was bad.”

“Did you make up?” Weiss asked as her right hand grabbed Yang’s left one and squeezed.

“Yeah. It took a week and an almost literal swift kick in the ass by my sister’s soulmate, but we did.” Yang sighed and rubbed the back of Weiss hand with her thumb. “I wish I could give your dad a swift kick in the ass.”

“If there wouldn’t be ramifications, I’d pay you a small fortune to.” Slowly, both of them snickered and then giggled until it turned into all out laughter. Weight that had been on their shoulders lifted a bit, taking comfort in a stranger they’d never see again.

Weiss buried the last of her breathless giggles into Yang’s shoulder, her eyes closed and unconsciously threaded her fingers with Yang’s. The size difference somehow didn’t affect the feeling that it was like two puzzle pieces. Yang couldn’t fight the smile on her face and gently squeezed Weiss’ hand, _This is…really nice._ She looked out into the sunset and just took in the sights and feel of everything. Even the occasional breeze, one gust was strong enough to flip the picnic blanket onto Yang’s leg.

_“So I could have a picnic with my Fated”_

Yang jolted and pulled away so quickly that Weiss almost fell. Yang uneasily landed on the ground before jumping up and laughing nervously, “Y-you know I-I completely forgot about t-the engine! Heh…” She all but ran to the motorcycle and started to fish out her work gloves and some tools. _Oh god, I almost…! Is she cheating on her soulmate!? W-with me!? Shit, shit, that…w-why am I okay with that!?_ Yang focused on her bike and looking anywhere but at Weiss. Her unfocused mind was rampant with questions and she automatically pulled on her long work gloves and hastily made her way to the car.

The sooner she got out of here, the better.

The heiress felt utterly embarrassed and…hurt. The feel of Yang’s hand in hers was like a brand. So she busied herself by putting away the picnic stuffs in the basket, slowly and perfect, refolding the blanket when a corner didn’t match up and reorganizing everything twice. Two involuntary tears fell from her blue eyes, Weiss practically scrubbed them off before repressing the feeling—and all the vulnerability she had shared—behind that glacial wall, high up and strong like it always was. As she receded behind the wall intrusive thoughts whispered to her.

_You slut!_

_An anomaly._

And then…

_“Wha—who the hell told you that?”_

_“…My father.”_

_“Well, see, there’s the first clue that that is a pile of bullshit. You aren’t any of those things, Weiss.”_

Weiss felt as if she could breathe again.

The heiress slipped down the car, basket in hand. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Yang with her hair held back in a high ponytail, the jacket had been taken off, leaving her in just the yellow tank. The blonde’s eyes were totally focused on her job and left her unaware of Weiss’ staring. But she was too aware of her presence, a small voice in the blonde’s head whispered a possibility but…

_Nah…couldn’t be…could it?_

Yang muttered to herself and drew her herself from her suspicions as she checked over everything. Thankfully nothing was melted, and while the engine looked a little worse for wear, Atlasian engineering kept it mostly shiny. The baffling thing was that everything looked—blackened from soot—but mechanically perfect. She was expecting some sort of failure or even a loose bolt…but nothing seemed out of place.

“U-um, hey Weiss?”

“Yes?” Yang flinched from the cold tone the smaller woman had used.

“When’s the last time this thing had a tune up?”

“My servant took it recently, in the last week or two, I believe.”

Yang nodded, “So all fluids should be topped off. But…” Even with Weiss not knowing about cars—and probably not carrying any coolant, if she had that recent a check-up there was no reason that the car should have overheated like this.

Unless…

_It wasn’t a natural occurrence._

A flash of fear and anger made Yang’s eyes practically glow before she started to move things out of the way to get to her suspect, “Weiss do you have a flashlight? I need it, now!” The heiress jolted at the hard voice, but for some reason she didn’t feel as if the anger was at her. She fumbled her keys and activated the flashlight function on the fob. She handed it to Yang who took it. Weiss could hear her mutter “I really hope this isn’t what I think it is.”

Yang reached out for a certain rubber tube and guided the light up and down while she squeezed it. “ **Damnit**.” The mechanic nearly growled

“What? What!?”

“Weiss, look at this.” Weiss’ apprehension was overpowered by her curiosity and she came close to the blonde. Yang squeezed the tube again and Weiss’ caught the ooze of viscous liquid coming out of a thin line.

“A rip?”

“No, the incision’s too clean…this was an intentional cut. This takes antifreeze or coolant to the engine. It’s like lifeblood, if you have low or no coolant then the engine can’t handle the extreme temperatures—hot or cold—and will fail. This was cut, making it drip out; if it weren’t for the fact that as a safety measure, Atlas cars are made to survive extreme conditions and can make it some time without coolant…Fates know what could have happened if you didn’t take this road.”

A face flashed through Weiss’ mind and her hands went to her mouth, “ _That roach!”_   Yang turned at the exclamation, “When I went to pick up the pie, word got out and the media showed up. There was one paparazzo that was slimy and asking sensitive questions so I blew up at him. I saw him as I was driving away when everyone else had cleared out.” Fear broke through Weiss’ calm façade.

 

* * *

 

“Come on, come on. Pick up the phone, Weiss!”

“ _The number you are calling is unavailable—”_

Blake cursed and smashed the hang up button with enough force that she was surprised the screen didn’t break. For what felt like the hundredth time she groaned to the darkening sky.

It was nearly two hours past their meeting time. Blake knew that Weiss valued punctuality, she would feel aggravated if she was even five minutes late.

Again, the faunus paced, distantly aware that the green grass was fading in height and turning brown as her worried steps pounded it into the dirt. The memory of reading about a car crash earlier while she was waiting came across her mind again. But, if Weiss was involved then it would’ve been reported almost immediately.

That left her with no leads and no ideas. No matter how hard she tried, Blake couldn’t stifle the nervousness welling up in her.

That nervousness grew into fear when a small flash of blue came from her arm. Blake almost fell to the ground when her head started pounding. Confusion washed over her—she thought that thanks to the constant exposure over the week they had gotten a handle on the intensity of the transmitted feelings. But her eyes practically arched when the current scene of grass and trees outside the city lines washed into darkness.

She wasn’t blind for long, flash of visions, sights that weren’t her own flew through her mind at a breakneck pace.

_Smoke_

_A white car_

_Sun above tree tops_

_A wide, carefree smile_

The world crashed and Blake was thrown viciously into reality. The green forest blurred back into existence and the ringing in her ears faded away, confusion was the only thing Blake could feel, “Fates…what the fuck was that!?...Weiss…what’s happening?”

Intense fear that the Faunus hadn’t felt in such a long time surged up and consumed her.

 

* * *

 

“—going to kick his skinny ass! He could have killed you!” Yang raged, prowling back and forth in front of the car.

Weiss frowned, “Don’t worry, I’m already thinking of—!” Weiss couldn’t finish her sentence. Not with her left arm throbbing and then feeling like it was being chewed on by sharks. The bright purple light shone through the long sleeves of her bolero.

Weakness in her knees caused her to fall into the side of the car before slumping down to the ground.

There was a scream…

But it wasn’t Weiss’.

It took an incredible amount of effort but she managed to pry open her blue eyes and take in the scene before her. Yang had been knocked to her side on the ground, her right arm blared with a matching shade of purple originating from under the thick work gloves. The pain Weiss felt was turned into a mere annoyance as clarity washed over her.

Without the intense pain paralyzing her, Weiss practically dragged herself over to the flailing mechanic. Yang’s eyes were wrenched shut, and any pleas Weiss made to get her attention were overpowered by Yang’s screaming.

Yang felt as if someone was slowly sawing off her fingers, one by one. Vaguely she remembered Weiss, and if she wasn’t in such pain she would’ve run. No one can know about her marks, or how they glow. But Fates be damned if her dumb soulmate didn’t make it a bitch-and-a-half to manage. Yang’s mind screamed at her to run, but her body simply refused, content with rolling in place until a small body pressed against hers and pillowy lips tasting of vanilla and spearmint. The taste was perfect and Yang’s lips fit perfectly with them, the lips acted like a miraculous balm chasing away the pain and causing it to be a mere fuzzy buzzing on her wrist.

The lips pulled away and Yang felt empty. She chased them down but a giggle then her glove being taken off, and a hand lacing its fingers between hers forced her eyes to open.

There, painted amongst the fledgling stars and pastel greens and purples and dark blues was white hair that cut through it like it was the moon itself, ice blue eyes captured her attention once more and she couldn’t bring herself to look away.

When those baby blues looked to the side, Yang obediently followed their gaze until the breath in her lungs rushed out of her.

There, lighting up the darkening night was two beacons of purple light. If Yang looked closely the designs on Weiss’ wrist was a perfect copy of the one she had traced over and over and over ever since she marked with it.

The blonde felt her other hand being picked up, Weiss looked deeply into her lavender eyes, she swallowed and stuttered out, “C-can I…?” Not trusting her voice, Yang nodded.

The glove came off slowly and easily. The purple light from their clasped hands gave enough light to allow Weiss to see the snowflakes, the same ones she had once thought of as a curse before she saw them on Blake’s wrist. And now, here she was, seeing them once more and the same feeling of elations made her heart seize with joy.

Yang slowly removed her hand from Weiss’ to gently tug down her sleeve until she saw suns, dragons, and amethysts. Her mind buzzed and the white beyond she had been sucked into on her marking day came back, showing her the mark that was undoubtedly hers.

“No…no way…you too. But…this is…!” Yang searched elated blue eyes, for any sort of deception. Was this a pain-induced hallucination? Because this couldn’t be real, _But it’s a damn realistic dream._

“Shut up and kiss me, you dolt.”

When Weiss kissed her again, Yang realized this wasn’t a dream.

It was Fate.

 

* * *

 

Warmth tore the fear away and filled Blake’s entire being, her wrists glowed simultaneously. This time it was like being wrapped in the finest silks, champagne bubbles fizzing in her head and the feeling of eating a feast after being starved for ages enraptured the Faunus.

Blake felt complete for the first time in her life.

“…I guess I shouldn’t have worried.” Blake let out a relieved breath, “Please…come home to me.” She kept her hands and wrists to her chest, trying to physically wrap herself in the elation as much as it was embracing her very soul.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm probably going to make a freezerburn focused chapter next time. It'll be shorter, I wanted to add it here but it was long enough as is.


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